/ 



i£PB£@l®. 



OF 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER, 



AS EXEMPLIFIED IN 



SSI &EB>B» ©©e&©®; 



AND 



SPIRITUAL EXPERIENCE. 

Li • 

WITH A.RECOMMENDATORY PREFACE, 

BY THE REV. D. BOGUE, D. D. 



SECOND AMERICA!* EDITION. 



And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, Write, Blessed are the 
dead that die in the Lord, from hence forth; Yea, saith the Spiiit, that they 
may resi from their labours; and their works do follow them.— itev. xvi. 13. 



BALTIMORE: 
PUBLISHED BY JOHN MIDWINTER, 
R. J. Matchett, Printer. 

1830. 






01 ftXCBANQE. 
n « 6 »908 






RECOMMENDATIONS. 

Mr. Midwinter, 
Sir, — I have perused the memoir of Mrs. Joanna 
Turner, which you are about to re-publish, and have 
found in it both pleasure and profit. 

Her eventful life is interesting and instructive: 
while it keeps the best feelings of the heart fully and 
delightfully exercised, it exemplifies in no ordinary 
degree the power and profit of practical godliness. 

Mrs. Turner was an extraordinary woman, richly 
endowed by divine grace. Engaged in the service of 
God from early life, in a sphere of action where no com- 
mon person could have done anything, she succeeded 
in doing every thing. The opposition and obstacles, 
which met her daily, seem only to have ministered to 
the ardour and energy of her mind, and the healthful 
exercise of her faith in God her Saviour, so as to have 
rendered her ascendancy over them all the more con- 
spicuous. She was poor, yet she supported the poor; 
kept up the stated preaching of the Gospel, and built 
two churches at her own expense, and withal became 
rich! She sustained great distress of body, not with 
patience merely, but with fortitude, and peace, and 
joy. She lived happy and died triumphant. Her ex- 
ample may be very useful to the Christian public, and 
encouraging to those who would commit themselves to 
God in well doing. 

I hope your labour in making this little book more 
generally known may be fully remunerated. 
1 am, sir, with great respect, 

Your friend and servant, 

THOMAS M'CAULEY. 
New- York, Feb. 28th, 1827. 
1 most heartily unite in the above recommendation 
of the Memoir of Mrs. Turner, and in the hope that it 
may be re-printed and extensively circulated. 

WILLIAM MC'MURRAY. 
New-York, March 3d, 1827. 
I concur in the above recommendations. 

JAMES MILNOR. 



1 give my name cheerfully with the above recom- 
mendations. H. J. FELTUS. 

I unite most cordially in the above recommenda- 
tions, HENRY CHASE. 
New- York, March 5, 1827. 
1 cordially agree with the above recommendations. 

JAMES YOUNGS. 
New-York, March 7th, 1827. 
I have read the memoir of Mrs. Turner with great 
pleasure, and do most cordially unite in the above re- 
commendations. CHARLES G. SOMMERS. 

Having perused the memoir of the life and death of 
M:s. Turner, I do most cheerfully recommend the 
work, as calculated to promote the cause of true reli- 
gion. A. MACLAY. 

BALTIMORE, 1830. 
We have perused "The Memoirs of Mrs. Joanna 
Turner" which is now in a course of publication in 
our city by Mr. John Midwinter, and do cordially con- 
cur with our brethren of New York in recommending 
this little work to public favour. 

JOHN BRECKENRIDGE, 
Pastor of the Second Presbyterian Church. 

WM. NEV1NS, 
Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church. 

JOSEPH FRYE, ) Methodist 
JOHN SMITH, V Episcopal 

WM. HAMILTON, S Church. 
JOHN FINLAY, 
Pastor of the Baptist Church. 
Having perused "The Life of Mrs. Joanna Tur- 
ner" the result is, a conviction on rny part, that she 
was a Christian of more than ordinary zeal, self-denial, 
benevolence, and prayer; and 1 hope the new edition 
of her Memoirs, which Mr. Midwinter proposes to 
publish, may be patronised by the religious communi- 
ty." J. P. K. HENSHAW. 

For the want of time, 1 have not perused the book 
referred to in the preceding recommendations; but 
feel every confidence in their good tendency from the 
character given them by the several gentlemen by 
whom they have been examined. I. JOHNS. 



DR. ROGUE'S PREFATORY LETTER 

TO THE 

ENGLISH EDITION. 

The Life of Mrs. Turner was never before 
published. It was drawn out by a female friend 
after her death, and a few copies printed and cir- 
culated among her particular friends and acquain- 
tances. 

Many to whom it has been lent, and by whom 
it has been read, have thought it desirable that 
it should have a more extensive circulation. It 
certainly affords a striking proof how much may 
be done for the cause of Christ by a zealous indi- 
vidual, and that with -very slender means. Mrs. 
Turner during the earlier part of her religious 
profession, possessed little else but her fervent 
piety and a steady zeal for the propagation of the 
Gospel, having only the small income of £30 a 
year; yet she was the happy and highly honored 
means of introducing the Gospel into several 
towns and villages in the county of Wilts. 

Pious individuals, placecTin a humble and con- 
tracted sphere, are apt to say, " What can I doV* 
Read the Life of Mrs. Turner, contemplate her 
conduct, and "Go thou and do likewise.'" 

Her Diary which relates to the secret work- 
ings of her heart, exhibits the power, efficacy, and 
benefit of true religion — u the religion of the 
heart" By it, her thoughts, her affections, her 
temper and conduct were regulated, 



6. 

Her heart glowed with love to God, and love 
to man. She felt deeply for the miseries of her 
fellow creatures — for perishing immortal souls; 
and this feeling excited her to a holy activity, 
and to unwearied endeavours to rescue them 
from impending ruin. Her efforts were not una- 
vailing, and her success affords the highest en- 
couragement to pious females to exert themselves 
in the same benevolent attempts to promote the 
spiritual and eternal welfare of others. 

To attain this honour, however, they must, 
like her, maintain a close walk and daily com- 
munion with God. What our Saviour said to 
his disciples relative to the performance of a 
particular miracle, may, perhaps, be applied with 
propriety on the present occasion — "This kind 
goeth not forth but by prayer and fasting. 55 God 
will not crown the attempts of a careless worldly 
professor of religion with similar success. Before 
we care for others 5 vineyards, we must or ought 
to keep our own — "those only that honour God, 
God will honour. 55 

That a divine blessing may attend the perusal 
of this work, and that Christian females may be 
stimulated to imitate the example of Mrs. Tur- 
ner,, and like the woman mentioned in the Gospel 
— "Do what they can, 55 is the fervent wish and 
prayer of 

DAVID BOGUE. 

April, 1820. 



THE 

LIFE AND DEATH 

OF 

MRS. JOANNA TURNER 



Mrs. Joanna Turner, the subject of the fol- 
lowing Memoir, whose memory is so dear to her 
friends, and whose acquaintance was so inestim- 
able to all who were favoured with it, was the 
daughter of Mr. John Cook, of Trowbridge, in 
the county of Wilts, clothier. 

Among her papers, after her decease, was 
found, written with, her own hand, an account of 
the early part of her life; which I will transcribe 
nearly as she has expressed it, and connect it with 
the memorable particulars I received, at different 
times, from her own lips, and from her intimate 
friends, whose veracity may be depended on; to 
whom she severally related the same things. 

Her narrative begins thus: "I was born A. D. 
1 732,and began to be unhappy very early, through 
my proud, passionate disposition. When at play, 
I wanted every thing my own way; or would be 
affronted and threaten to go away, I well re- 
member, when I did not intend it, that my play- 



S LIFE AND DEATH OF 

mates might stoop to me and entreat me to stay. 
Oh, what an early hold hath the devil in the hu- 
man heart; in mine I am sure he had; for I bore 
his image, his superscription. 

My uncle Shrapnell used to tell my mother she 
ought to correct me; and more than once, I re- 
member, he himself attempted it when I discover- 
ed these tempers at his house; but I cried and held 
my breath in such a frightful manner, as distress- 
ed my tender mother; so that I do not remember 
she ever corrected or severely chid me; nor do I 
recollect that ever I was subdued or softened by 
any means of that kind; but on the contrary, was 
made more furious and desperate by them. 

When I was between eight and nine years of 
age, my dear mother died. I was exceedingly 
affected at her death. I believed she was hap- 
py, but was affrighted for myself lest I should die; 
and thought much of death, judgment, heaven and 
hell. I heard the people about me say, my mother 
was a good woman; she prayed and read the 
Scriptures and other good books in her chamber, 
and received the sacrament constantly. I re- 
member, one Lord's day, when I and my young- 
est brother were at home with her, I observed 
the tears trickle down her cheeks while she read 
a little book: — I went and kissed her, and looked 
into it, for I could read when very young, and 
perceived the title to be, "He will not break 
the bruised reed." Many years after when I had 
a little spiritual light given me, I providentially 
met with the book, and found it full of the Gospel. 
I doubt not but my mother gave me many good 
instructions, though I was so very ignorant 



&11S. JOANNA TURNER. 9 

that I never understood them: but, after her death, 
I wished and tried to be good; was careful not to 
tell lies, nor play on the Lord's day. 

Having a little book given me, entitled "Pray- 
ers for Children," I used these prayers for a long 
time, with great exactness, praying seven times a 
day, because, on reading the Psalms, I remarked, 
David called so often on the Lord. 1 used to pe- 
tition for meekness, humility, and the other good 
dispositions I wanted; striving at the same time, 
as well as I could, against anger particularly, 
and other sins to which I was tempted. I read of 
a Roman emperor, I think it was, who was pas- 
sionate, and checked the risings of anger by re- 
peating the Greek alphabet; but I thought it 
would be better for me to say the Lord's Pray- 
er. This I did, sometimes, running up into my 
chamber and falling upon my knees; at other 
times, repeating it inwardly. I suppose I was 
observed in this part of my conduct; for I remem- 
ber to have heard some people say, "I was an 
extraordinary child. 55 Indeed, the Lord guided 
me though I did not know him! I learned what- 
ever was appointed me very fast; and liked the 
company of old people better than childish play, 
unless my companions would hear me read. 

The same relation that gave me my prayer- 
book, presented me with Janeway 5 s Token for 
Children. On reading the dedication, I could not 
proceed for tears, — but do not remember the sto- 
ries affected me much at that time: but a little 
halfpenny book, called a Christmas Carol, put me 
upon thinking about the blessed Saviour, — and^ 
though unseen and unkn(?wn ? I think I did love him ! 
1* 



1 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

I was not yet nine years old;, but pride then 
grew very strong; and I was much captivated by 
dress, — could do any thing, suffer any thing to be 
fine. And, as I loved reading, all books of enter- 
tainment were perused by me with such a relish, 
that I could leave every thing but fine clothes, for 
them, I gradually left off the use of prayer, ex- 
cept night and morning. 

When between twelve and thirteen, I was put 
to a very genteel boarding-school; indeed, too 
high for my fortune, but as I had a first cousin 
there, about tny own age, her mamma prevailed 
on my father to send me thither also. My pride 
and vanity was heightened at the prospect, and 
constant mortifications were the consequence. 

I soon left off praying and reading my Bible; 
and in short, was never happy but in reading ro- 
mances, novels, plays, and other books of the de- 
vil's inspiring; and more than once attempted to 
write them myself; so full was I of wickedness 
at that tender age, not yet thirteen! But this 
was not all: — 

One of the servants at school wanted to bor- 
row a shilling of me, at a time when all my money 
was spent, and I was expecting more, but was too 
proud to tell her I had none: therefore took an 
opportunity to steal a shilling out of the drawer 
of a young lady, who slept in the same chamber 
with me; hoping it would be in my power to re- 
place it before it could be missed. I do not re- 
member that I had any painful feelings at the time 
I stole it, nor any checks of conscience for de- 
nying it; which I suppose I did, with the other 
scholars, when examined upon it: but when I was 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 11 

tried with the Bible and key, as was the custom,* 
to see whose hand shook most; I recollect put- 
ting up most earnest petitions, and crying mighti- 
ly to God, to preserve me from shame. I was 
afraid I should tremble or blush on examination, 
and so discover my guilt: but wonderful w r as the 
goodness of the Lord, and so it appeared to me 
at the time, as an answer to prayer, that he did 
not suffer it to be discovered. But seven years 
afterwards, how did I sorrow for that sin! I 
would have given all my substance to have atoned 
for this sin of my soul! 

A letter I recived about this time from my bro- 
ther Coles, with these words in it, greatly affect- 
ed me, — "I doubt not but you read your Bible 
and pray; those seeds of early piety, &c. which 
were so discoverable in you:" — I was filled with 
anguish, thinking what a hypocrite I was, and 
how people were deceived in me; for I neither 
read my Bible nor prayed. I first omitted this 
duty through shame of being seen by those who 
slept in the same room with me: — -"Wretch that 
I was, to be ashamed of my duty, and not asha- 
med of breaking the Divine command! We used 
to play at cards till midnight for money; and by 
this way of spending time and money, I rushed 
into the above sin, which I shall never forget; 
neither my own abominable wickedness, nor the 
great goodness of the Lord in hearing the prayers 
of such a sinner, and preserving me from the 
shame and punishment due to my sin. And to this 
day, when I read or hear of any being guilty of 

*A custom which should not be imitated. 



12 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

theft, and suffering shame or death, I feel I de- 
serve it; and admire that I am pardoned, and 
blest above many of myfgNaw sinners with tes- 
timonies of regard, both from God and man; — 
but it is all of free grace; and let none despair, 
since / have obtained mercy. 

While I was at school my dear father married, 
and I soon returned home, and was, if possible, 
more miserable than ever. With every change 
of situation, I promised myself new happiness; 
and as I was so much accustomed to read ro- 
mances, I never wanted for strong expectations 
and lively ideas of increasing pleasure; and was 
as constantly disappointed. It pleased the Lord 
to make use of my mother-in-law, as an instru- 
ment to mortify me, and disappoint me, in every 
thing she could. Observing I wanted to shew 
away and cut a figure in life, she constantly cross- 
ed me in a manner that could not but disgust; — 
but as she is dead I must be silent, and consider 
who appointed the rod. 

When I was about seventeen, my dear father 
died; of whom I cannot recollect that he ever cor- 
rected or chid me. He was the most peaceable 
and calm in his disposition of any man I ever 
knew. His death greatly affected and afflicted 
me. I felt myself exposed to the world without 
a friend; reflected on some whose parents died 
while they were young, and were now extremely 
wretched, through their taking imprudent steps 
in extravagancies of some kind or other. Surely 
mercy and goodness hath followed me; my ways 
have been wonderfully hedged up ! — For, now I 
was become my own mistress, and might do as I 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 13 

pleased, I was filled with such fear, care, and 
caution over my conduct, that nothing appeared 
to me amiable or worth pursuing, but to live and 
act right. I wanted to learn economy, prudence 
and neatness; and to improve myself in every 
thing that was useful. 

About this time, a remarkable thought fastened 
upon my mind: — "that my dear mother, who had 
been dead near ten years, was a guardian angel to 
me, and was a witness to every thing I said and 
did; and I really wished and endeavoured to do, 
what, if she were living, I thought would please 
her; I went to church constantly on Lord's days, 
and frequently on prayer days; and almost con- 
stantly wept when that part of the Litany was 
read which mentions "fatherless children;" no 
other part of the service affected me like that. 

As soon as we could settle our affairs, my 
youngest brdther was put apprentice; my eldest 
brother lived by himself: and I bless God, that I 
was taken by my dear brother Coles to board 
with him, who worshipped God with his family. 
Here I met with religious books: immediately be- 
gan to read them, and to throw aside my vain ro- 
mances. Some, which were my own, I burnt; 
observing an example set me in the Acts of the 
Apostles, and finding at times an inclination to 
them, I thought it best to destroy them. 

My brother's books was a great help to me; 
and I began to understand them, and likewise 
to attend closely to preaching. A good woman 
that ironed at my brother's, was also made useful 
to me by talking to me on religious subjects. I 
became now deeply convinced of sin: that I was 



14 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

conceived in it, and that every duty, the best that 
I could perform— reading, praying, giving alms, 
talking of religion, &c. &c. When I came to re- 
flect upon it, as I constantly did afterwards, not- 
withstanding all my endeavours, I Saw sin, like 
the dead fly in the apothecary's ointment, caused 
all to send forth a stinking savour. Oh, the an- 
guish and grief I felt on account of sin! I earnest- 
ly wished to repent and truly mourn before God. 
I then left off praying with a form, and cried 
from my heart for mercy. I endeavoured to be 
better, but as often as 1 attempted to amend, so 
often did I offend again, and again grieve and 
mourn. At last I was afraid to speak; for it was 
with my tongue I did most constantly offend, in 
speaking what 1 ought not, or not speaking what 
I should. After a common conversation, in which 
perhaps I have had but a very small share, one 
word would appear to me to have so much sin 
in it, that I have feared I could never be pardon- 
ed, and have thought God could not be just with- 
out sending me to hell for it, and often expected 
the earth to open and swallow me up. My 
thoughts, likewise, were brought to the bar of 
conscience and condemned; I was greatly con- 
cerned because I could not be always thinking 
upon heavenly and divine things, and about the 
concerns of my soul. By day, when alone, I was 
reading or praying; by night, whenever I awoke, 
I rose to pray: and if I could not fix my thoughts 
in meditation, I repeated to myself some chapters 
I had learned out of the Bible, and select pieces 
of sacred poetry, particularly, out of "Watts's 
Lyric Poems." Such scriptures as these, at 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER, 15 

times, afforded me refreshment; — "Come, and let 
us reason together, saith the Lord, though your 
sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow, &c. 
Let the wicked forsake his way and the unright- 
eous man his thoughts," &c. But this portion of 
holy writ alarmed me much, — "Can the Ethiopian 
change his skin and the leopard his spots," &c. No 
sin distressed me so much as stealing the shilling 
while at school, and some halfpence from some 
near relations, at different times; I thought I was 
the greatest sinner that ever breathed, and that 
it was a mercy the laws of the land had not been 
executed upon me; that I deserved condemnation 
from God and man. I was, notwithstanding, 
sweetly comforted by that scripture, — "Let him 
that stole, steal no more; but rather let him la- 
bour, working with his hands the thing which is 
good, that he may have to give to him that need- 
eth." This w r ord, I supposed, suited my case; 
because I thought it w r as necessity drove me to 
steal, and that I had not strength to resist the 
temptation. 

I now began to amend my conduct; I refrained 
from idle visits to work for my relations and 
poor people; and added works of mercy to my 
industry, by giving away all the money I could 
spare; but nothing could satisfy my guilty con- 
science; "Cursed is every one that continueth not 
in all things which are written in the book of the 
law to do them;" and "He that offendeth in one 
point, is guilty of all;" — constantly rang in my 
ears. I acknowledged that my condemnation 
was just; and though in hell, in endless torments, 
I thought I must acquit God of the least injustice! 



16 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

But O thought I, if He would shew mercy and 
would be pleased to forgive me, how I should 
love him! Indeed I loved him for his goodness 
already bestowed in keeping my soul out of hell, 
in sparing me from the shame my sins deserved ! 

One day I read a sermon, I have forgot by 
whom, on this text, — "Who was made a curse 
for us, for it is written, cursed is every one that 
hangeth on a tree;" and the veil of my heart was 
rent; my eyes were anointed with the divine eye- 
salve: / believed: I saw the blessed Lamb of God 
was my Surety and my Saviour; that for me his 
blessed hands and feet were pierced, and his side 
opened; — that he suffered death for my sins, and 
wrought out a righteousness for me; — that God 
the Father accepted me in his beloved Son; — and 
that he was just in justifying such an ungodly 
wretch as I was ! 

From this blessed time I was a new creature 
indeed; had new sight, new feeling, new facul- 
ties! — My language was, "Bless the Lord, O my 
soul! who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who heal- 
eth all thy diseases!" I gained spiritual strength 
to run in the ways of God's commandments. All 
earthly enjoyments were lighter than vanity in 
my eyes, and Jesus was the chiefest of ten thou- 
sand in my sight. I wondered I had never seen 
these things before, was astonished at my former 
ignorance, and transported with my present dis- 
coveries. 

I saw Christ in the scape goat — in the city 
of refuge — and throughout the Old Testament; 
whereas, formerly, I could not discern any thing 
of him but in the four Evangelists. Now the 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 17 

eigth of Romans, and many chapters in St. John, 
Isaiah, the Psalms, the Epistles to the churches, 
and indeed the whole Bible, where "sweeter to 
me than the honey or the honey-comb/ 5 

A book my brother used to read on a Sunday 
evening, descriptive of the marks of the new 
birth, was made very useful to me at this time. 
O, how rejoiced was I on examining myself to 
find that, through the abounding grace of God,, I 
had the marks! And there was a form of the 
soul's covenanting, or giving itself up to God, 
which the author recommended. I did it with 
great solemnity, and signed it with my name. I 
had it upon my mind to prick myself and sign it 
with my blood, in token of my love and zeal; 
what prevented I cannot remember. The words 
of the covenant ran thus: 

THE COVENANT. 

"O Lord God! the maker of heaven and earth; 
by whose word, and for whose glory, I and all 
creatures were made! I am now come to ac- 
knowledge thee as the author of my being, the 
preserver' of my life and the giver of every good 
thing I enjoy; and therefore, do now submit my- 
self to thee as my rightful owner, and sovereign 
Lord and Father! I have sinned against heaven, 
and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be 
called thy child; I shall think myself highly hon- 
ored and very happy, if thou wilt receive me as 
one of thy meanest servants! 

"I bring thee a creature of thine own, that has 
been straying from thee! This soul and body, 
now prostrate at thy footstool, I humbly offer un- 
to thee; that thou may est go over thy work again. 



18 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

and create me anew after thine own image, and 
so will I be thy faithful servant as long as I live! 

"0 blessed Je&£$! If thou wilt now take my 
part and plead my cau&e with thy Father, I am 
ready to profess myself i^tiy disciple upon thine 
own terms; and to follow thee, if my heart do not 
deceive me, whithersoever thou goest! I do sin- 
cerely give up myself to thy teaching and instruc- 
tion: O give me understanding, that I may know 
the truth as it is in Jesus! I do unfeignedly con- 
sent to thy government, and, with a mind willing 
to obey thee, I can now say, 'Lord what wilt thou 
have me to do? 5 

"I will ascribe all the honour of my salvation to 
thy meritorious death, and powerful intercession! 
In thee alone will I repose my trust, and now, if 
my Lord, will undertake that his grace shall be 
sufficient for me, there is nothing too difficult to 
attempt, or too much to suffer for thee ! I do en- 
list myself under thy banner as the great Captain 
of my salvation: affrighted at myself, to think that 
I have been so long under the power and tyranny 
of the Devil, whom I desire, from this moment, 
to resist to the uttermost. 

"I am persuaded that this world is nothing but 
vanity and vexation of spirit; and therefore shall 
set myself, by thy help and according to thy ex- 
ample, to conquer it and bring it into subjection' 
I have found my own heart corrupt, wicked, and 
deceitful; and therefore shall no longer manage 
for myself; but shall rejoice to give up every 
thought, will, and affection entirely to thee! I am 
now desirous to be thine, O Lord, so as not to be 
another's; thine, and not the world's; thine,and not 
my own! 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 19 

"To Thee O Holy Spirit! do I acknowledge 
myself indebted for these and all other good in- 
dications: and that I may be enabled to hold my 
present purposes, and to improve in a holy, heav- 
enly disposition of mind, I now cast myself upon 
thee, for all that direction and assistance which 
my circumstances may require. Henceforward, I 
shall yield up myself to thy conduct and influ- 
ences; and shall make it my oare, to attend to 
all thy motions and convictions, both in perform- 
ing my duty, and abstaining from sin; and so do 
those things which may be well pleasing to thee, 

Father, Son, and Spirit, with my whole 
heart. 

" I desire, freely and fully, to devote myself 
to thee; choosing thee for my everlasting por- 
tion, and purposing to serve thee, as my Supreme 
Lord and Master, whilst 1 have a being. And, 
as a proof of my sincerity, and of my ardent de- 
sire to make good such a profession, I am willing 
to bind myself, by setting my hand to all this; 
that it may be a witness for or agaipst me, as I 
behave myself agreeably or disagreeably to what 

1 now do! 

Joanna Cook." 
In transcribing this I find great cause of shame 
to myself, that i have so ill performed my part: 
but "the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all 
sin;" and how gracious, and constantly good and 
faithful hath the Lord been! He hath never fail- 
ed once, in admonishing, teaching and quickening 
me; but though to me belong shame and confusion 
of face, yet do I rejoice that I gave myself up to 
the Lord ! 



20 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

I am not certain, she rejoins; that every thing 
is here mentioned in the exact order of time. I 
should have mentioned the texts of Scripture that 
convinced me it was wrong to read romances, &c. 
Rev. xxii. 35. " Whosoever loveth and maketh a 
lie shall not enter into the new Jerusalem," was 
one. These texts too were much upon my mind; 
"Separate yourselves, come out from amongst 
them; touch not the unclean thing, and I will be 
a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and 
daughters, saith the Lord Almighty;" "not in ri- 
oting and drunkenness,' 5 &c. &c. — "whether ye 
eat or drink, or whatever ye do, do all to the 
glory of God." 

Besides these texts of Scripture, I had an aw- 
ful thought about this time, — That I was liable 
to death every moment; and that I should not like 
to die at an idle visit, nor in a ball-room, nor at a 
card table, nor in a play-house." I easily left off 
dancing; my relations were not fond of balls, and 
visiting they excused me from, as I was more 
usefully employed at home; but my dressing in a 
manner becoming a woman professing godliness, 
they were very much against!" 

Thus far we are indebted to her own pen; and 
doubtless, if she had begun to write upon the sub- 
ject sooner, or had not been prevented by her 
growing indisposition, she would, for the infor- 
mation of her friends, especially her affectionate 
husband, who urged her much to do it, have given 
us the various changes and events of their life, 
in their order; but at the same time, modesty 
and humility would have prevented her mention- 
ing several things which, for the glory of God, 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 21 

for the comfort and encouragement of his people, 
and in justice to so excellent a character, I think 
ought to be made public. 

In this small unfinished account, Mrs. Turner 
gives of the early part of her life, she says, she 
is not certain that she has mentioned every thing 
in the exact order of time. It appears, from her 
journals, and the letters we have received from 
her various correspondents, that the gay world 
became, once more the object of her attention; 
even after she had been under the most serious 
convictions of sin, despairing of forgiveness, and 
thinking God could not be just without sentencing 
her to hell; and had been set at liberty from this 
condemning power of the law, by a Gospel ser- 
mon, and was enabled to cry out, "Bless the 
Lord, O my soul, who forgiveth all thine iniqui- 
ties!" &c. And that her attachment to the fash- 
ionable amusements of the age was as strong as 
ever: she being, as I have been told by her most 
intimate friends, the ring-leader in all the vain 
amusements of the town; going from house to 
house to get a party for the ball, the card-table, 
or for hearing read some pernicious romance, or 
frothy novel; and nothing of the kind seemed 
well ordered among her intimates, unless Joey 
Cook were present. 

That pride and vanity had likewise the ascend- 
ancy in her heart is very discoverable; and, from 
the universal esteem in which she was held by 
her acquaintance, her company was continually 
courted ; and from her complexional vivacity, good 
sense, genteel carriage and gay appearance, she 
conveyed pleasure wherever she went. 



22 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

In these seasons, pride made her emulous, and 
disappointment made her wretched. She has ac- 
knowledged, with the deepest abasement of soul, 
that till she was converted, she could scarcely 
bear the sight of any whose person and dress 
were superior to her own. And it has been ob- 
served, by some who well knew her, that she 
endeavoured to excel all her acquaintance, in the 
gaiety of her clothing, the elegance of her taste, 
the poignancy of her wit, the politeness of her 
address, and the agreeableness and vivacity of 
her conversation. 

But, while she was in the full possession of 
the esteem and admiration of her acquaintance, 
and taking her fill of time-wasting pleasures, 
which are accounted innocent because not con- 
demned by the world, conscience would not let 
her enjoy happiness within, or suffer her to re- 
joice in iniquity: but on the contrary, constrained 
her to mowraand weep before the Lord in secret! 
as may be gathered from a journal written in her 
twenty-eighth year, an extract from which is here 
subjoined. 

Nov. 1, 1758. " It hath pleaseth the Lord to 
lay on me the rod of affliction, to visit me with 
weakness of body; but oh f how light the stroke, 
how gentle the correction! Lord, thou mightest 
have continued those racking pains I have so 
lately felt — -but thou dost not delight to afflict the 
children of men! In the midst of judgment thou 
rememberest mercy. O, sanctify this dispensation 
of thine to me — teach me submission to thy will 
— humble and melt this proud obdurate heart of 
mine — draw off my affections from the world, 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 23 

from every thing that hinders communion with 
thee; and O, may I say, 'speak. Lord, for thy 
servant heareth!' 

Methinks I now hear those divine chidings 
from thee — c O daughter,' (for I would still trust 
in the sacred relation) 'how hast thou abused the 
mercies of health and ease that I have bestowed 
on thee! What tributes of praise and glory have 
1 received from thee? Hast thou not, like Jesh- 
urun, waxed fat and kicked? Hast thou not ser- 
ved my worst enemies; let out thine heart, which 
is mine by the strongest claims, to the world, 
the flesh and the devil; who by turns, have 
ensnared and enslaved it? O, how is thy beau- 
ty spoiled by this vile servitude! how differ- 
ent art thou now, from the day of thy first espou- 
sals; when I adorned thee with the robe of right- 
eousness, with the jewels of mercy and forgive- 
ness of sin! But yet, "I will never leave thee, 
nor forsake thee:" — "The Heavens may depart, 
and the mountains be removed, but my love shall 
not depart from thee;" Almighty grace shall res- 
cue thee! Return, O backsliding daughter; I 
will "heal thy backslidings; will receive thee 
graciously, and love thee freely !" 

About this period of her life, she gives an ac- 
count of some journies of pleasure, for a month 
or two, that she made to London and Bristol. 
And, by what we see of her inward teachings, 
it appears, she had all the blessed doctrines of 
the Gospel in her head; that they were a stay to 
her soul in an hour of danger, that she did, at 
times, experience the sweet influences of religion 
on her heart, so as to take comfort in the un- 



24 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

changeable love of God through Christ, in the 
all-sufficiency of his blood to atone for her sins, 
and the purity of his life to justify her person, 
and present her faultless before his Father's glo- 
ry. But it is evident, from those papers, that 
she had not duly examined, nor entered into the 
full meaning of the apostle's assertion, when he 
says, "There is therefore now no condemnation 
to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not 
after the flesh, but after the Spirit." For though 
she seemed to be convicted of sin if she did not 
begin, go through, and close the Lord's day en- 
tirely in the Spirit; yet she scrupled not to begin 
the next day, go through and end the week, with' 
walking after the flesh, in vain amusements, pri- 
vate parties of cards and dancing, or in public 
places of pleasure, such as Tunbridge-wells, 
White-conduit-house, Vauxhall, &c. &c. 

At the same time she sought out and heard, on 
the Lord's days, some of the most lively and 
faithful Gospel preachers: examining her own 
heart, and lamenting its departures from God, in 
the most pathetic manner; but did not, as yet, see 
the duty of carrying the Sabbath through the 
week, which is the privilege of believers, in mo- 
mentarily asking for a blessing on the common 
actions and employments of life; begging the pre- 
sence of the King of Kings with us through all, 
and thus resting in his love and faithfulness con- 
tinually: for thus she remarks on the first Sabbatu 
she spent in London: — 

" Sunday, July the 3rd; — My thoughts too 
full of vanity and distraction for the sacred exer- 
cises of the day, and I find pleasure a greater en- 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 25 

emy to devotion than business, which I have been 
long groaning under! 

" A desired dispensation from worldly cares is 
now experienced; but what is the effect of this 
privilege on my heart? My heart, I find, is still 
firmly attached to this world; my affections how 
grovelling! my thoughts, words, and actions are 
as guilty, as impure as ever! 1 dressed myself 
with too much care, and too great a desire to be 
noticed in the sanctuary of my God: Gracious 
Lord, forgive the impious attempt; frustrate the 
bold design, and lay not iniquity to my charge, for 
thy dear Son's sake! 

"This afternoon Mr Jones prayed in a remark- 
ably affecting manner; and Mr. M — preach- 
ed the sacred mysteries of the Gospel, which we 
are ignorant of till the Spirit move on our hearts, 
as on the waters of old. Spiritual truths are only 
spiritually discerned; the natural man is ignorant 
of them and accounts them foolishness. He 
preached the doctrine of regeneration, from John 
the third to the tenth verse; proved the necessity 
of being born again, and exhorted all to self-ex- 
amination in order to know if this saving change 
had been wrought in their hearts; comforted the 
experienced believer, and awfully warned the 
bold daring offender." 

The next day we shall find her at a ball, admi- 
ring the ladies' dresses, and delighted with her 
niece's superior skill in dancing. And after 
spending the whole week in the same manner, 
we find her again on the Lord^s day at church, 
taking down the heads of Mr. Jones's discourse, 
and making these truly spiritual remarks:— 
2 



26 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

"Mr. Jones preached and prayed extempore like 
the Dissenters: — O, may he be a happy means of 
uniting brethren in one faith! It is not what 
church, but what spirit we are of, that is es- 
sential to the salvation of our souls! A bigoted 
and uncharitable spirit, is an unchristian spirit: 
for Christ said 'To love God with all our heart, 
and mind, and strength, and our neighbor as our- 
selves, are the commandments on which hang all 
the law and the prophets!' That faith only is 
good which is productive of good works: and 
wherever I see this mark of Gospel love in pro- 
fessors, of whatever denomination, there I must 
adore the goodness of God thus remarkably dis- 
played in the sanctification of a sinner! 

"We read of the saints in glory being chosen 
out of all nations and languages of men, and much 
more, different denominations of Christians; and 
shall I be angry with my neighbor for adopting a 
different opinion from myself? Blessed Jesus, 
may I, the unw^orthiest of thy creatures, who still 
sin with an high hand and an outstretched arm, 
and who thus, as it were, grasp at sin and folly, 
be rescued by Almighty grace from the error of 
my ways! I fly to thy blood to wash my pollu- 
ted nature clean! May my hard heart be softened 
in the fountain of love; may I dive into its depth, 
adore its height, till my w r hole soul be filled with 
love! Lord, thou knowest my weakness, my 
folly, the strength of corruptions under which I 
groan; and my temptations from the pleasures, the 
riches, and vanities of this bewitching world! O, 
shew it me as a howling wilderness beset with 
thorns, dens, and pits; strip it of its borrowed 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 27 

appearance. O, my all-sufficient Saviour! guard, 
O guard me by the influences of thy Spirit, from 
the wickedness, (he treachery of my own sinful 
and corrupt heart! 

Lord, I would mourn over pride and envy at 
wealth and grandeur; hypocrisy, having a form 
of godliness without the power; \ would mourn 
over the sins of my heart; my thoughts, which arc 
all known to thee, my waste of time, my abuse of 
talents, my small regard to truth, justice and so- 
briety! My words and actions, how odious in thy 
sight! How formal, how cold my prayers; how 
often do I neglect my attendance at thy footstool! 
Sly knowledge of thee, how small, how contract- 
ed; nay, I question at times, whether I have ever 
been enlightened! My want of faith, Lord, I 
would mourn over with tears of blood, which, if 
it were possible, should burst from this ungrate- 
ful heart, which has added perjury* to its other 
crimes! How often have I sworn to be the 
Lord's, thy sealed fountain, thy sealed garden! 
But, 'Thou art the Lord that passeth by trans- 
gressions;' nay, that throwest them behind thy 
back, and buriest them in the depth of the sea: 
Thou art unchangeable in thy love!" 

The next week we find her pursuing the w T orld 
and its vain amusements with as much eagerness 
and relish, as if she had never been convicted of 
sin and folly, nor known the joys of religion, or 
the terrors of a guilty conscience. 

But the Lord graciously rouses her again, the 
next Sabbath, by awakening her from her sleep, 
at three in the morning, with the alarm of a dread- 
breaking her covenant with God. 



28 LIFE ADD DEA.TH OF 

ful fire, near enough to see its raging flames from 
the door; for thus she remarks: — 

"I went to the door and surveyed the awful 
flames, which seemed to approach us in defiance 
of firemen and engines. The sparks, in general, 
appeared to fly almost to the clouds; and each 
one, if commissioned by the Almighty power, 
was capable of spreading the desolation far and 
wide. Good God! how weak, how impotent is 
man; whose designs and substance thou canst 
blast with one breath of thy nostrils. We, thy 
wretched, sinful creatures, deserve thy judg- 
ments: but O, thou that inhabitest eternity, restrain 
the fury of this raging element, stop the progress 
of these spreading flames, for thy dear Son's 
sake, through whom we receive every blessing; 
and to whom, with thyself and blessed Spirit, be 
praise and glory through the endless ages of eter- 
nity! 

Oh, what a sweet satisfaction is there in confi- 
ding in an Almighty God, in the greatest danger! 
who says "when thou passest through the waters, 
I will be with thee, and through the rivers, they 
shall not overflow thee; when thou passest through 
the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the 
flames kindle upon thee:'* that is, thy God, in co- 
venant, will remember thee in all thy distressing 
circumstances; and will deliver thee from, or sup- 
port thee under them. 

Oh, what a divine voice was that which said, 
'According to thy faith, so be it unto thee!' See, 
the fire is alleviating, is abating! the morning 
breaks and pours forth her light, and lessens the 
horrors of the prospect: several kind neighbours 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 29 

return and assure us there is no danger to our ha- 
bitation; my fearful companion begins to recover 
herself at this account. We stayed, talking and 
listening, till after five o'clock, and no more signs 
of fire appearing, retired again to rest, praising 
the Lord for his goodness. 

In the forenoon, heard Mr. , preach on 

the privileges of being children of God; a privi- 
lege that cometh not by nature nor inheritance; 
for 'as many as are led by the Spirit of God, 
they are the sons of God.' O Blessed Spirit, be 
thou my guide, my director; take possession of 
my soul; purge it of its dross, its filthiness — of in- 
ordinate affection, vain imaginations; purify my 
heart; change the irregular sinful inclinations of 
my soul, and enable me by faith to cry — Jlbba 
Faflier." 

Mr. Jones, the excellent Mr. Jones, edified us 
in the afternoon with preaching on one of Elisha's 
miracles. But the amusements of the week spoil- 
ed all her good impressions; as may be seen by 
her complaints on the next and some succeeding 
sabbaths. 

"July the seventeenth, Mr. Green obliged us 
with another discourse on a former text; but my 
thoughts were too wandering to recollect the 
particulars of the sacred subject. Blessed Jesus, 
when shall I be freed from the power, the worse 
than Egyptian bondage and slavery, of a vain 
mind: when shall I be brought into the glorious 
liberty of the children of God! Corruptions, 
how deeply are they rooted! Vanity how has it 
fixed its empire in my captive heart, a slave to sin ! 
The world, the flesh and the devil, have bound it 



SO LIFE AND DEATH OP 

in triple bands; have enervated and weakened 
all its capacities to love and serve thee; are con- 
tinually enticing it with temptations too strong for 
flesh, weak, frail, feeble flesh, to resist; are set- 
ting up idols of riches, honour, beauty, or some 
other earthly deity, which I profanely worship 
in opposition to thy divine law! 

Wrest me, O wrest me, all-powerful Redeem- 
er, from the jaws of sin in all its shapes and dis- 
guises! Setup thy standard in my soul; take 
possession of all its avenues, and display the ban- 
ner of redeeming love! Drive the cursed fiends 
of pride, vanity, envy, hypocrisy, lying and de- 
ceit, from their strong holds! Rule, O glorious 
Redeemer, rule and reign in thine own domin- 
ions! Hast thou not purchased me with a price, 
become my surety, and suffered the punishment 
due to my sins; purchased the sanctifying influ- 
ences of thy Spirit for me, a rebellious sinner! 
Open the door of my heart, spread its folding 
leaves, and let the King of Glory take possession 
of his own, and rule and reign over me for ever! 

Mr. Jones in the afternoon, made a delightful 
sermon on another of Elisha's miracles: The mis- 
erable state of the poor widow he compared to 
the wretched condition of all mankind by nature: 
her two sons were, flesh and spirit; the creditors, 
God's justice, and Elisha a type of Jesus Christ. 
An excellent spiritual discourse he made: O may 
it be profitable to my soul, and to all that heard 
him. He exhorted to trust in God in the great- 
est extremities and afflictions: Here was an emi- 
nent example of a widow and her fatherless chil- 
dren being relieved by an interposing providence: 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. SI 

though now we are not to expect miracles, yet 
God will accomplish his promises to all that trust 
in him: "Himself,'' he said, "was an instance; no 
circumstances in life could be more miserable, 
more deplorable than his were; yet he was pro- 
vided for infinitely beyond his expectations!" — 
And myself am another instance: how have I ex- 
perienced the loving kindness of the Lord! should 
I withhold my testimony, how great my ingrati- 
tude! 

Sunday the 14th. Dressed in my new gown, 
my thoughts too much engrossed on that account; 
pride, vanity and a desire to please, my reigning 

vices. Mr. , preached in the morning, the 

reviving doctrine of "mercy shall be built up for- 
ever:" and in the afternoon, heard the same min- 
ister from those words of David, "unless thy law 
had been my delight I should have perished in my 
trouble." 

Coming home, met Miss Harrison; prevailed 
on her to drink tea with me, and promised to go 
with her to the Tabernacle: by the influence of 
this lady, had a commodious seat in a gallery be- 
hind the pulpit. So vast a concourse of people, 
in so small a spot, I never saw before; and all so 
attentively serious, I thought it a happiness to be 
admitted into the number; they sung a hymn with 
great devotion, and afterwards Mr. Whitefield 
prayed earnestly for all states and conditions of 
men. Indeed, it was an excellent prayer, but my 
heart was sadly out of tune; and jarred amidst 
the heavenly concert of the praises and adorations 
of the saints! 



32 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

My prayer was, "O may I catch the sacred 
flame, kindle it, dear Lord Jesus, in my soul; O, 
may this be a happy opportunity! The text was, 
u For behold the day cometh, that shall burn as 
an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that do 
wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that com- 
eth shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, 
that it shall leave them neither root nor branch: 
but unto you that fear my name, shall the son of 
righteousness arise, with healing in his wings!" 

He shewed who the proud were, the proud in 
heart, whether poor or rich: but the proud here 
meant particularly, are they who will not disclaim 
the merit of their own works, that will not fly to 
Christ as their only hope. 

He addressed the sinner with great affection: 
invited him earnestly to come to Christ for salva- 
tion, and warned him of his danger in the most 
awful and convincing manner. He called upon 
the backsliding Christian, — O my soul, how par- 
ticularly, how earnestly, did he call upon thee to 
return to thy first love! How justly did he call 
thy present state, an eclipse! that the earth was 
gotten between thee and the sun of righteousness, 
and prevented the darting of his salutary beams 
into thy soul, so necessary to guide thy corrupt 
heart! Lord perform the promise on which thou 
hast caused me to hope, "Return, thou backsli- 
ding daughter^ I will heal thy backslidings, will 
receive thee graciously and love thee freely !** 

I bless God for some feeble glimmerings of re- 
deeming love darted into my benighted soul: O, 
may it increase into a blaze; and may "the Sun of 
Righteousness arise with healing in his wings!" 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 33 

Monday the 15th — Heard my uncle Shrapnell 
was at the point of death. — Awful news! O may 
it affect my heart, not by venting a flood of tears, 
but — may the providence be a sanctified affliction. 
O may I rely, with greater firmness, on the Al- 
mighty ali-sufficient fountain, when the streams 
of creature-comforts are cut off. 

In losing my uncle, I lose a valuable friend 
whom I loved with filial affection, whose advice 
was revered, and instructions obeyed, though ever 
so contrary to my own inclinations; as believing 
he was a much better judge than myself. How 
glaringly sinful is my conduct! Conscience, 
how strong thy convictions! Shall man, erring 
man, liable like thyself to mistakes, and of like 
passions with thyself, shall he be confided in, 
obeyed and served from principles of love, and 
art thou distrustful of the Great Jehovah? How 
large his promises, how small thy faith; how 
great his love, how weak thy belief; his kindness 
unspeakable, and thy heart untouched. By it 
thou hast been holden up from thy birth, and how 
ungrateful thy returns to this inexpressible love! 

— Did ever pity stoop so low, 
Dress'd in Divinity and blood! 
Was ever rebel courted so, 
With groans of an expiring God. 
Again he lives, he spreads his hands; 
Hands that were nail'd to torturing smart; 
By these dear wounds he says, and stands 
And prays to clasp thee to his heart. 

A coach stops at the door, my cousin is return- 
ed in s'afety. I was afraid to ask for my uncle, 
but had the pleasure of hearing he was still alive, 
and his heart ia heaven 1 fixed on the promises of 

*2 



34 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

God from eternity to eternity. O the divine sup- 
port our heavenly physician dispenses to his af- 
flicted patients ! What abundant reason have we, 
in all circumstances of life, to fly to and to de- 
pend on, the all sufficient, ever-present God! 

Friday the 1 9th — At night, while my cousin 
was returning thanks for the mercies of the day, 
with his family, we were alarmed by a violent 
ringing at the door. A porter brought the melan- 
choly news of the death of my dear uncle Shrap- 
nell, a loss which I have long expected. O, may 
those that are mourners under it, be comforted! 
The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away, 
and blessed be the name of the Lord!" 

The next Sabbath she goes to public worship 
twice, but takes no notice of the sermons; and the 
day following seems filled with vanity on account 
of sitting for her picture. The next Sunday her 
thoughts seem wholly taken up with her new 
mourning, produces not so much as a pious reso- 
lution. And the next day, she remarks, she had 
the pleasure of seeing the ladies dance; is em- 
ployed all the week in providing genteel mourn* 
ing, a rich black silk; ordering a ring on the oc- 
casion, and other gevv-gaws. And not till Sun- 
day the thirty-first did she seem to have so much 
as one serious thought to pass her mind; then, her 
usual sabbath convictions revived once more, 
which she expresses thus: — 

"Sunday, the thirty-first; indulged myself too 
much in sleep; and encouraged waste of time by 
dressing with too much care. O the sacrilege I am* 
weekly guilty of, and of which I am as constant- 

*She might have said daily, 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 35 

ly repenting, stealing from the Almighty the sa- 
cred time he has commanded to be appropriated 
to his worship and service! How light and vain 
are my first thoughts on waking; how difficult is 
it to draw them from vanity, and fix them on suit- 
able solemn subjects! 55 * How does the world, 
the creature, engross my attention even in the 
presence of the King of Kings! How do my 
eyes wander in search of pleasing objects; of 
glaring dress, fashions and a thousand vanities! 55 

In the afternoon she hears the celebrated Mr. 
Romaine: his text, Solomon 5 s Song — "Set me as 
a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm. 
She is pleased and edified, and cries out in rap- 
ture, "Oh what an advantage do the people of 
London enjoy, of having the doctrines of the Gos- 
pel preached faithfully, with zeal and affection! 
Blessed be God that there are ministers in the 
established church, as well as many in the other 
denominations, who will not hold their peace for 
Zion 5 s sake; that they are not all "blind watch- 
men, dumb dogs 55 — that will not bark to give 
warning of approaching danger! 55 

In her thirtieth year, which was in 1762, she 
writes thus to a friend: — "When the Lord called 
me out from among the broad-way multitude, to 
be separated, and not to touch the unclean thing, 
and he would be a father unto me, and I should 
be his daughter, 55 many years ago — I halted, 
shamefully halted between two opinions. Nay, 
after I hoped I had sincerely closed in with 

* Is it any wonder, when the week had been spent in ranity 
and folly? 



36 JLTFE AND DEATn OP 

Christ: received him on his own terms, as my 
prophet, priest, and king; and had tasted that the 
Lord is gracious, with humility, the deepest hu- 
mility, I would speak it, I wanted to reconcile 
God and mammon; to serve God, so as not to dis- 
please man. O impious attempt; what a mercy I 
was not made a similar example to that of Ko- 
rah, Dathan, and Abiram! 

"And yet, here I am, a monument of mercy! 
When I took up Esther's resolution, "If I perish 
I perish" — and met with a much kinder reception 
than Esther, for a whole kingdom would not have 
satisfied me, nor a whole w r orld. No, nothing 
but an assurance that Christ was mine; then I 
said, I would have no more to do with the accur- 
sed thing, that I would hold my integrity, and 
that none of these things should move me. I for 
some time, "sat under his shadow, with great 
delight, and his fruit was sweet to my taste!" — 
But O, what darkness, w r hat thick darkness have 
I groped in, since, at times ! Such sinks of cor- 
ruption in my heart, and such sinfulness in my best 
duties, that I thought I had but deceived myself; 
and that no saving change had been wrought in 
me! I feared offending the creature, on which 
my affections were immoderately fixed." 

Hence we may gather that she was a grievous 
backslider in heart, after she had been enlighten- 
ed in the way of salvation by Jesus Christ, and 
had "tasted that the Lord is gracious." By pay- 
ing too much attention to the world, and too little 
to the convictions of her own conscience; for se- 
veral years, she was "unstable as water:" — some- 
times she appeared to be taught of the Spirit of 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 37 

God, and to hearken to his word; at other times 
she grieved him, and, by drinking into the spirit 
of the world, quenched his motions. 

For several years, ten at least, she attended to 
the outward exercises of religion constantly, on 
the Lord's day; and frequently on the week days: 
and while at church, if her eye wandered to ob- 
serve other people's dress; a liberty she was apt 
to take, as may be seen by her journal; she would 
shut them immediately, that her mind might be 
entirely abstracted from earthly objects, and de- 
voted to God. And being convinced, that after 
prayer and the word preached, she ought not to 
hazard the loss of the good impressions she re- 
ceived by unnecessary salutations, and idle con- 
versation in her way home; she made it a rule to 
quit the church immediately after service, and 
walk home by herself. 

Thus she repeatedly resolved to break with the 
world, and as repeatedly broke her resolutions: 
for still the fear and love of the creature prevail- 
ed, till at last she was brought, a second time, 
into the depths of despair. Her convictions of 
sin became so great, and her distress thereupon 
so exquisite, r that for two years she was under 
continual terror; and frequently imagined, as she 
walked the streets in her gay attire, that the earth 
would open and swallow her up; and while in 
this agony of mind, she scarce refrained from 
weeping two hours together! She thought she 
had sinned beyond forgiveness; and that "it was 
impossible,^ according to scripture, Heb. vi. 4 — 
8, that she should be "renewed again unto repen- 
tance" — because she had "crucified the Son of 



38 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

God afresh, and put him to an open shame"— by 
her wordly conformity,— "after she had been en- 
lightened in the knowledge of the truth, had tas- 
ted of the heavenly gift, been made a partaker of 
the Holy Ghost; and had tasted of the good word 
of God, and the powers of the world to come. 5 ' 
And, from the keenest anguish of soul, she could 
say— 

"All deaths, all tortures in one pang combin'd, 
Are little to the torments of the mind!" 

As the work of grace gained ground in her 
heart, carnal company and conversation became 
more and more disagreeable to her; she therefore 
turned from those who formerly afforded her 
pleasure, to associate with the most spiritual peo- 
ple she could meet with, who were, for the most 
part, poor. The only one of her own rank in 
life, she could at present find consolation in con- 
versing with, was, a gentlewoman with whom 
she had often disputed in favour of balls, cards, 
plays and other amusements which she used to 
call innocent; and by whose arguments she was 
always foiled. 

Had she yielded to the earliest convictions she 
received in those disputes, it would have prevent- 
ed much sorrow: but the fear of man, and love of 
the praise of men, and her personal attachments, 
were so strong, that it was with the utmost diffi- 
culty she could deny herself in, and make a ne- 
cessary sacrifice of, those particulars. But the 
Lord, in love to her soul, would not permit her to 
possess peace in any of her former connections: 
the more she sought to please the creature, the 
more did the distress of her soul increase. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 39 

She attended the ministry of the word with pro- 
fessors of different denominations: but she could 
not find the consolations she wanted in any place 
of worship to which she went. Though she 
sometimes heard ministers whose doctrines suit- 
ed cases like hers, yet she received no 3ncour- 
agement. 

Going one day into the house of one of her 
brother's sheermen, she found the good man em- 
ploying his meal-hour in teaching one of his chil- 
dren to read the Bible; while he fed the youngest, 
who was sitting on his knee — his wife being at 
hand, sick and helpless. Surely thought she, 
this man is greater than that emperor, who said — 
He had "lost a day if it were not well spent!" — 
She inquired of him how he was enabled to fill 
up time so piously and profitably; and obtained 
much edification and pleasure by his reasonable 
and scriptural discourse. 

She took occasion to converse with him again; 
and by him was introduced to a society of poor 
people, who met at each other's houses, Sunday 
mornings, to read and pray together. This was 
the company in whom her soul now delighted, 
and for whom she cheerfully parted with her gay 
acquaintance; at the same time bearing testimony 
against their vain amusements, as tending only to 
waste time and dishonour God. 

We need not wonder to hear, by this time, 
that the singularity of her conversation and con* 
duct gave great otFence: and it is easy to guess 
who were offended by it. It should not be a mat- 
ter of surprise to find her most intimate friends, 
and even those who made some claim to the dis* 



40 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

coveries and enjoyments of religion, tempted to 
disapprove her associating so much with the reli- 
gious poor. By such persons she was treated 
with coolness, reserve and neglect; the reverse 
of former kindness and affection, without the least 
reason being assigned for such change of beha- 
viour. 

To a person of her sensibility, the abatement, 
much more the alienation, of the affection of 
friends, must be peculiarly afflicting! She felt 
it so: nor was she. at the same time, without such 
inward conflicts as are common to every stage of 
the Christian progress. Recollecting the exer- 
cises of this period of her life, in order to mag- 
nify the grace of God in her deliverance out of 
her complicated distresses, she writes thus to a 
friend in the year 1762: — 

"What am I, that I should be honored with the 
prayers and fellowship of the people of God, of 
different denominations; that I, unworthy I, should 
be favoured with dear Miss B n's correspon- 
dence. O pray, and praise for me, my much va- 
lued friend! A few months ago I was in the 
depths of misery: my Lord had withdrawn him- 
self, and the whole creation could not satisfy me, 
it was all uncomfortable, and I was all gloomy — 
"my stroke was heavier than my groaning!" 

1 went from one house of God to another — it 
was the winter before last when I was at Bristol: 
I went to the tabernacle, betook myself to a pri- 
vate corner and heard dear Mr. Adams preach 
from Isaiah xliv. 17. I was the poor and needy 
at that time, and the promise has been remarkably 
fulfilled to me: for besides mourning for an absent 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 41 

God, a bosom friend, a religious friend, with 
whom there had been the greatest intimacy, grew 
surprisingly cool to me, without assigning any 
reason for it; and on my requesting one, 1 receiv- 
ed a very unkind answer. 

I thought she saw something in me too bad to 
be forgiven, and so would not tell me of it: that 
my pretences to religion were all hypocrisy, or 
so dear and good a creature could not treat me 
in such a manner; it must be just in her I thought 
— I could not think she acted wrong, so much 
was I w T rapt up in the creature. But every 
stream was cut off to drive me to the fountain, 
and now the streams run again, and there is so 
much delightful sweetness communicated from 
the fountain that it is indeed pleasant: but it is 
the fountain I would abide in, there, is every thing 
to satisfy, but not to satiate.' 5 

How wisely the Lord orders all events to bring 
about his own purposes, and his people's good, 
concurring circumstances will prove. At the 
time our dear friend refers to, in the above quo- 
ted letter, she was suffering from many quarters 
for conscience sake. She was under much de- 
jection of spirit previously to her hearing Mr. 
Adams preach at the tabernacle, and it is more 
than probable she would not have thought of go- 
ing thither, if the person at whose house she was 
on a visit, had not proposed her accompanying 
him to that place; which proposal he made mere- 
ly to pass away time. 

The tabernacle was full; she much wished for 
a seat, and perhaps imagined her genteel appear- 
ance would induce some person to offer her one, 
but, being unnoticed, the enemy of her peace a- 



42 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

vailed himself of it, to inject the sorest suggestions 
info her mind. She thought the judgments of 
God had overtaken her in that strange place; that 
the people discovered her iniquities, and deemed 
her unworthy a seat among them.* 

At last, overwhelmed with grief, she retreated 
to an obscure corner and wept immoderately; but, 
in the midst of her distress, the Lord gave her 
the hearing ear, and made the word a blessing to 
her soul. The description of her case was so 
justly given by the preacher, and the encourage- 
ment to persons in her situation so great, that she 
was convinced it was a doctrine suited to her, and 
observed it so consonant with the scriptures that 
she was satisfied it came from God. 

She left the place, determined to attend the 
preaching of the w r ord there, while she continued 
at Bristol. She noticed the publication for 
preaching from the pulpit, and that she might find 
the way to the tabernacle the next time by her- 
self, she observed every thing that might serve as 
a way-mark in her return. 

With a kind of impatience she waited for, and 
wUh pleasure she embraced the ensuing opportu- 
nity, when she heard the same minister preach on 
the Christian-armour, from Ephes. vi. 13 — 20. 
The Spirit of God then also witnessed with her 
spirit, that she was happily possessed of it. 

Distress now gave way to holy joy, and a 
"Hope that maketh not ashamed, 55 took place of 
slavish fear. The gloom that had so long de- 



*This should be a caution to people in the house of God to make 
room for strangers. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 43 

pressed her spitits, dispersed, as the morning 
mists before the sun. Her prison doors were o- 
pened, her bands loosed, and her soul, once more, 
was delivered from the condemnation of the law, 
and the terrors of Hell. 

She diligently attended all the means of grace, 
during the time of her residence in Bristol: and 
felt such love to, and union with, the ministers 
and people at the tabernacle, that it was with 
difficulty she parted with them, when she return- 
ed to Trowbridge. 

She received another invitation to Bristol the 
following winter, which she gladly accepted, — 
While on this visit, she was providentially intro- 
duced into the company of several respectable 
persons, belonging to Mr. Whitefield and Mr. 
Wesley's societies. 

In the interim between the two visits, she had 
written a religious letter, which was communica- 
ted to a friend in distress, with a view to her 
consolation. It passed through my hands, and a- 
mong others, it w r as read by Miss Eliz. J- — — n; 
who seeing it signed Joanna Cook, and recollect- 
ing that she had relations of that name at Trow- 
bridge, desired Miss B n to give her an op- 
portunity of an interview with her when she came 
to Bristol again. 

Miss Cook had also heard much of a cousin, 

Eliz. J n at Bristol, who had been enabled, 

very singularly, to forego her worldly interest for 
the sake of a good conscience; and though her 
birth and connexions entitled her to a large for- 
tune, was content with a family Bible for her por- 
tion, when she offended her friends by becoming 



44 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

a despised Methodist. Our deceased friend was 
now therefore very desirous of seeing her cou- 
sin; for which purpose she attended an exercise 
of prayer among Mr. Wesley's people, expecting 
she should have an opportunity of an interview 
with her at the place where it was carried on. 

The first person who engaged in prayer seem- 
ed to answer the description of her relative by the 
excellency of her gift; but it proved to be Miss 

B n, to whose person, till now, she was 

a stranger. From this time, however, they 
knew each other intimately; and by this pattern 
of piety, and example of good works, she was in- 
troduced to her truly amiable and devout relation, 
with whom she lived in the most sacred friendship 
and strongest affection, to the day of her death. 

By this first interview with Miss E. J n, 

our new convert was amazingly disappointed.— 
She had formed the idea of a tall, stately, reserv- 
ed person, in a distinguished dress, taking the 
lead of a society with a countenance that would 
excite religious distance and awe: whereas, con- 
trary to this idea, Miss E. J n appeared the 

most easy of access, the most humble in her mien, 
neat in her person, plain in her dress, and in all 
things an imitator of Him who was "meek and 
lowly in heart." 

This convinced her that the Christian must be 
measured by the soul; that being, as Dr. Watts 
beautifully expresses it, " the stature of the man.'* 
And herein she discovered those divine graces, 
which are infinitely superior to the embellish- 
ments she conceived to have been the exterior 
distinction. 



MRS. J0ANXA TURNER. 45 

If Miss E. J n disappointed Miss Cook's 

expectation in one instance, she more than ex- 
ceeded it in another. Her pious and scriptural 
conversation cannot well be conceived. Her pru- 
dence towards her newly converted relation, was 
equal to her kindness. She did not check the 
tide of holy joy that now flowed in our friend by 
entering into religious disputes, and setting up 
Mr. Wesley against Mr. Whitefield; nor did she 
give her books of controversy, but kindly put 
some of Mr. Whitefield's writings into her hands, 
in hopes, by their means, of establishing her in 
the faith that is in Christ Jesus. 

How worthy are such sacred friends of imita- 
tion ! Each discovering in the other, the reality of 
divine grace; neither presumed to forestall the 
Holy Spirit in his work; or to foster the false zeal 
and acrimonious spirit of a party in the stead of 
it: but mutually agreeing in Christian experience, 
and living in the spirit of love, they followed af- 
ter the things which make for peace; and things 
whereby one may edify another. 

In this they cordially agreed: to receive Christ 
as their wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, 
and redemption; and to strive together for the faith 
of the Gospel. Were their example universally 
followed, the church of Christ would enjoy more 
peace, the Gospel be subject to be less reproach, 
and God would gain more glory. By the means 

of Miss E. J n, and Miss B n, Miss Cook 

had now free admittance into Mr. Wesley's and 
Mr. Whitefield's societies; and was enabled to 
speak boldly for the glory of God and concern- 
ing the work of grace, in private circles as cir- 



40 LIFE ASD DEATH OP 

cumstances rendered it necessary: and not only 
open her mouth boldly to speak forth the praises 
of God, but she devoted herself in a great measure, 
to the service of his poor people. She employed 
herself sometimes in providing garments for poor 
ministers, notwithtsanding she thereby subjected 
herself to reflection: and was so ready to assist 
the poor, by every possible means, that she would 
even beg from door to door for them, in cases of 
emergency. 

Hitherto she had supported a fashionable ap- 
pearance, though not without many scruples of 
conscience; supposing, that by this only remain- 
ing instance of conformity to the world, she might 
soften the minds of her intimates, and the better 
prepossess them in favour of religion.* The 
light she obtained upon 1 John ii. 15, 16, convin- 
ced her, that, in this instance of her coduct, she 
was doing evil that good might come: and a little 
incident fell out, which tended to confirm in her 
a resolution to alter the mode of her dress. 

Going to dine with a newly-awakened clergy- 
man at her cousin J 's> with a design to talk 

over a little religious experience, and encourage 
him in the good way of God; the wind blew off her 
head dress, and so dishevelled her hair, that she 
was obliged to detain the table a considerable 
time while she adjusted it. Her friend replied to 
her apology with a gen le rebuke, adding, "This 
fashionable head will soon come down!" This 
remark was quickly verified: Miss Cook being 

*A falje reason frequently giren by dressy professor* of tlw 
Gospel. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 47 

now perfectly convinced, that such a dress was 
unbecoming a person who wished to be a fol- 
lower of Christ, and an example of godliness to 
others. 

Some time before this she had been disposed to 
part with many of her ornaments, by the influence 
that a sermon preached by Mr. Kingdon, a Baptist 
minister of Frome, from Isaiah iii 16, 26, had 
upon her. She felt the truth of his application so 
powerfully, that she stripped herself of her rings, 
and earrings, as she sat in the pew. The convic- 
tion of the sinfulness of outward adorning continu- 
ing to afflict; she under a more than ordinary im- 
pression, pulled off her ruffles as she passed the 
streets of Bristol, determining never to ware them 
again; which resolution she kept to the day of 
her death. 

She used to say to her religious friends, who,in 
excuse for their dress, objected against the sin- 
gularity of that she wore, that, believers in Jesus 
should be as much ashamed of conformity to the 
world in their dress, as their amusements; and 
that, being called to fight against the world, the 
flesh, and the devil, there is an absurdity in fight- 
ing against them; under their own colours!" 

Her transition from a very gay to a very plain 
appearance, it may be supposed, occasioned some 
conversation and dispute; especially, as she was 
not backward to vindicate her plain appearance, 
when it met with objections, and to enforce the 
propriety of it upon her censurers. In conse- 
quence of this, she was led to write the follow- 
ing lines on the vanity of dress in the professor* 
of religion:— 



48 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

"Oh Prince of pilgrims, hear a pilgrim's prayer, 
Whose only hope and trust is in thy care! 
Obedient to thy call, my soul would run 
On any errand, and no danger shun. 
At thy command I trace the narrow way; 
O lead me, Saviour, or I soon shall stray! 
Grant wisdom, power, humility, and lore, 
All heavenly power thou givest from above! 

Man is thy tool, thy instrument, thy clay 
O fashion, form and make me still obey 
Thy Spirit's teaching, and thy written word: 
Touch, strengthen, help me, O my dearest Lord! 
Thou know'st my heart, my inmost's soul's desire 
Thou know'st my aim, thou didst the aim inspire 
To follow thee — however scorn'd by men, 
Judg'd, censur'd, mock'd, thought singular and vain. 

Thine own dear people, who thy mind should hare, 
Shorn of thy strength by being worldly brave, 
From touching, handling, now approve and like; 
And hate the friend who at their follies strike. 
They plead for Baal — "religion's in the heart" 
They cry; nor from their idols will they part, 
"You're too severe, too strict; we see no harm; 
"To be like others need not so alarm; 
"I dress but little, others dress much more, 
"There's such a one, out-does me I am sure! 
"What you can see in me, I do not know, 
"My things they must be made, they make them so." 
With aching heart I cry, "My sister hear, 
What's written in the Word; how read'st thou there? 
Let Zion's daughters, Zion's Kin* obey, 
Their hearts be subject to his holy sway! 
Ail scripture for instruction sure is given; 
No needless word was ever sent from heaven! 
Peter and Paul joint testimony give, 
How women should behave, and dress and live. 
After conversion, when to churches jcin'd. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 49 

How sweet, how lovely 'tis to join in mind! 
Walk by one rule, follow one blessed guide; 
Saints then with saints how sweet to be allied! 
Such was the church in its primeval state, 
But Oh, how fallen are we all of late! 
Yet are those curs'd that shall diminish ought 
Of sacred writ; plagues are pronounc'd their lot! 

Come Holy Spirit, breathe on our dry bones; 
Children to praise thee thou canst raise from stones! 
Who's on the Lord's side? Who? come lend your hand, 
Reform the church and save a sinking land! 
Cry to your God, ye praying souls, still cry; 
Beseech your brethren, every method try! 
I catch the spirit, sympathise, and know 
What 'tis to mourn and weep for Zion'swoe!" 

When our dear friend could not prevail on 
persons whom she laboured to convince of the 
sinfulness of outward adorning, by the softest 
persuasions, the most rational and scriptural ar- 
guments, and the most apt similies; she would 
sigh very deeply, and say, with a countenance 
expressive of the deepest concern, "What can 
be done with these deluded people; whom no ar- 
guments can convince of the absurdity of con- 
forming to the expensive and changeable fashions 
of the world, while they profess to be called out 
from among the world! How strange is it, that 
people so tenacious of the doctrines of the gos- 
pel, that they will scarcely allow salvation to 
those who have not the same doctrinal views with 
themselves, should nevertheless, be so erroneous 
in their practice; as if the word of God did not 
require a practical submission to its rules, as 
well as the assent of the judgment to its doc- 
trines." 
3 



50 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

She so truly loved the people of God, and was 
so tenacious of the divine honour, that she could 
no more suffer sin upon her acquaintance to go 
unreproved, than she could see the symptoms of 
a mortification coming on their flesh, without re- 
minding them of their danger, and recommending 
to them to call in proper help. 

Since her decease a minister has remarked, 
that he was never in her company without being 
benefitted by it; either he was convicted of sin, 
or instructed in righteousness; encouraged in the 
path of duty, or comforted under affliction." She 
knew both how to wound and how to heal; but 
never slightly healed the wounds sin has made. 
She had a happy discernment, and seldom misap- 
plied reproof or consolation; and several clergy- 
men have made the same confession. 

Full fraught with the blessings of the gospel 
of peace, and richly fed in every Christian soci- 
ety among whom the truth was preached, she fin- 
ished her second visit at Bristol; and returns to 
Trowbridge, to tell her kindred and Christian 
friends, how great things the Lord had done for 
her soul: — At her return she writes thus to Miss 
B IK 

"It was with great reluctance I left the minis- 
ters and people the time before; and so it was the 
last time I left Bristol: but the sweet promises 
with which I was dismissed, cheered and support- 
ed me. Mr. Whitfield's text, in the morning, 
was, 4 I will pray the Father, and he shall give 
you another comforter, that he may abide with 
you forever.* Mr. Roquet, the same day, at 
Werburgh's church, preached from, 'I will n*. t 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 51 

leave you comfortless, I will come to you.' The 
frame she possessed on her return may be con- 
ceived of by the same letter: 

"My fellow travellers, (said she,) alluding to 
the passengers in the stage coach, were mighty 
chatty sort of people; but you cannot think how 
mute they were all struck on my talking of reli- 
gion; except one gentleman, who had the cour- 
age to confess before half a dozen of us, that 
he read the Bible; that the blessed truths contain- 
ed in it, he thought concerned every one; that all 
who had eai% to hear were called upon; and that 
the Christian, whatever the world said of him, he 
believed, was happy in every situation, in every 
circumstance.' This was music to my ears, and 
I expatiated, largely expatiated, as my little 
knowledge and w r eak abilities would admit. 

"We know, my dear friend, who it is that 
makes the weak as David, and David as Goliah. 
It is our Heavenly Father, who by his grace thus 
strengthens us poor, feeble, helpless worms! Who 
overcomes the rebel's heart with love, and then 
it longs to be obedient to every command, to be 
in the constant discharge of every duty 1 O that 
I could love the dear Redeemer more, the pur- 
chaser of my every blessing!" 

Thus filled with love under a sense of what the 
Saviour had done for her soul, she longed to be 
doing something for him in return; and dreaded, 
above all things, to disgrace his cause by idle- 
ness and lukewarmness; for thus she goes on in 
the same letter — 

"Oh that I could do something for God! for his 
cause and interest in the world; for sinners, poor 



52 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

thoughtless sinners; for my dear relations; that 
they might taste, with us, that 'the Lord is gra- 
cious P I long for company! join me, my dear 

Miss B n, in praying that all our acquaintance, 

all we know, may know Christ Jesus, and him 
crucified, whom to know is life eternal; and that 
we may, myself in particular, never be left to 
ourselves; lest we become a stumbling block to 
others, and cause an ill report to be brought on 
the good old way! 55 

As soon as she reached home she surprised 
every one with the warmth of her zfcal and ama- 
zing courage in recommending religion in all 
companies; venturing to write letters of reproof, 
even to religious and learned ministers, if she saw 
them go to any amusements unbecoming the sa- 
cred character; as the following letter testifies: — 
"Dear Mr. , 

"Can you bear with me, a poor, weak, mean 
creature as I am, unworthy to wash the feet of 
my Lord's servants? but I must be faithful. Dear 
Sir, I am offended, and grieved, and mourn, 
whenever you are at the parties of pleasure amongst 
us. Have you so learned Christ? Is it bringing 
glory to God to be present at them? Una waken- 
ed, unenlightened, souls see no harm in these 
things"; they call them innocent useful recreations. 
Dear creatures, we must pray for them; nay, re- 
prove and admonish as we have opportunity; 
though it is the Lord only can open the eyes of 
the blind. But the gospel-glass represents it to 
us in quite another light: St. Paul, in his epistles, 
gives it very different names; and the ministers 
of the Lord are to exhort young people to be so- 
ber-minded, and to flee youthful lusts! 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 53 

"As I remember, we read of but one dancing 
assembly in the apostles' days; and that was so 
fatal to the church, it should deter the followers 
of Christ from encouraging them. Herod seem- 
ed to be under convictions before; but that joyous 
merry-meeting ended in a melancholy manner. — 
And now, even in our days, if the servants of God 
are not doomed to an ignominious death by a- 
musements, yet it brings spiritual deadness into 
our souls: and if we are, in any measure, made 
of one spirit with the Lord of heaven and earth, 
can we take pleasure in these things? We can- 
not 4 run with them into the same excess of riot!' 
The love of Christ will constrain us to obedi- 
ence !" 

"A walking with God, and in the customs of 
this world, are inconsistent. We are called to 
Separate and come out from amongst them, 5 not 
to hanker after the garlicks of Egypt,' not to 
'linger in Sodom 1 The Lord hath manna to rain 
down on us: O that he would give us spiritual 
appetites for this angels' food! The world has 
no food to bestow upon us; they have not even 
temporal blessings to bestow ! Our God is a God 
of providence as well as grace, can give, and 
doth give, even to the unworthiest of his crea- 
tures; the hundred-fold blessings in this life, as 
well as the precious promises of life everlasting! 
Happy, thrice-happy am I, to be reproached for 
Christ's sake; for singularity in his cause, for ad- 
hering to his commands! 

"Dear Sir, write me a few lines; give me your 
opinion: Should believers in a crucified Saviour 
be frequenters, though it be only as spectators, of 



54 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

card tables, balls, horse-races, &c. &c. Should 
Christians meet and part, again and again, without 
mentioning the name of Christ? an important 
question. 

"There may, I think, be the form of godliness 
without the power; but surely, where there is the 
power, it does not open a door for licentionsness. 
We cannot sin that grace may abound: we must be 
discharging every duty, though with much weak- 
ness and imperfection. 

"It is the grief of my soul that I live no more to 
the glory of God ! My dear friend, pray for me! 
Let me have the blessing of your example! O that 
I could love the Lord and serve him better! But 
the blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin; 
being justified by faith, we have peace with God, 
through our Lord Jesus Christ. 5 I hope and trust 
you will receive this in the spirit of love and 
meekness. 

" I write, because I had not courage to speak. 
I trust, my only view is the glory of God! 'Send, 
Lord, by whom thou wilt send!' Glory belong- 
ed! unto thee, but to me belong shame and con- 
fusion of face! I beg, dear sir, you will always 
be thus faithful to me, and may the best of bless- 
ings be with you, is the prayer of 

c your sincere friend, 

'Joanna Cook." 

I subjoin a letter written some years after, in 
the same spirit to another minister: 
" Rev. Sir, 

" Actuated by the purest motives, I take the 
liberty to write to you; as there does not appear 
the least prospect of conversing with you. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 55 

" For many years my mind has been much 
pained at the profanation of the Lord's day by 
business or pleasure, the divine command being 
so strict to keep it holy! It appears to me one 
of the crying sins of the nation, for which, per- 
haps, the present long continued war is a scourge; 
for it is very visible we are not yet a reformed 
people. Yesterday morning, as I went to visit a 
sick friend, I saw a cloth or clothes upon your 
rack, and said to a person near me, c sure this is 

not Mr. W 's? 5 They said c Yes, it was, 

and you made a practice of it:' and, to be sure, 
it appeared to me too likely to be true: because, 
at this time of the year,the drying is so good, and 
almost continual, that there did not appear such 
a necessity, as, on some occasions might be 
urged. 

U I intreat you, sir, by the most sacred motives, 
never to suffer such a custom to be continued. 
And if you will be so kind as to pardon my free- 
dom, and not be offended with me, I should be 
very happy, And Oh! may all our sins and nu- 
merous offences be washed away in that sacred 
fountain, the blood of Jesus Christ. And may 
his righteousness be imputed that we may be 
complete in him, united to him here by living 
faith, and then be in glory with him to all eter- 
nity! This, sir, is the sincere desire of the 
'Unworthy writer, 

'Joanna Turner." 

The propriety of her conduct began now to be 
called in question; as she scrupled not to walk to 
Bradford or elsewhere, where the Gospel was 
preached in the establishment, in company with 



56 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

poor people; whom, for Christ's sake, she count- 
ed the excellent of the earth, and in whom was 
all her delight. 

Several charges were also brought against her: 
such as hearing illiterate preachers; and that at 
unseasonable times, and that while she was very 
fond of and very intimate with strangers, whether 
poor or rich, when they were the same way of 
thinking with herself; she neglected her relations. 

It is true, she took all opportunities to hear 
the Gospel preached: she was a person of lei- 
sure, and found it to be both her duty and privi- 
lege, in the use of the means of grace, to u wait 
upon God continually." It is equally true, that 
it was not an object with her whether the preach- 
er were learned or illiterate; if he preached 
Christ Jesus the Lord, and were made a bless- 
ing to her soul. 

The suspicion of her neglecting her relations 
was founded on mistake. She tenderly loved 
them; and esteemed many of them as real Chris- 
tians. In allusion to the above-mentioned charge, 
she says, in a letter to a friend, "I love the peo- 
ple of God, esteem them the excellent of the 
earth, and can say, In them is all my delight, but 
my affection for my relations does not in the least 
abate, it increases. I would give honor to whom 
honor is due. Many of them are old professors, 
and have much of the Christian temper and dis- 
position: and yet blame me for singularity and 
preciseness." 

However painful she felt it to lie under cen- 
sure, she determined to act according to the dic- 
tates of conscience, and do what she could to* 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 57 

wards promoting the cause of God among others. 
With a view to this she accompanied her poor 
brethren, not only to distant places to hear the 
Gospel in the establishment, on a sabbath-day; but 
she prevailed on them to meet together once or 
twice a week for social worship, which they 
readily agreed to. The following letter gives an 
account of this society, which from that time met 
together every Thursday, for hearing sermons 
read or preached: before that, they only met 
from house to house for reading and prayer, on 
Lord's-day mornings. 

"O my dear, what mercies have I to thank God 
for. Help me to praise the Lord, and to speak 
of his name. Young men and maidens, old men 
and children, praise the Lord. O for a warmer 
heart to speak his praise: I want to be all love 
and gratitude! 

"You cannot think, my dear, what a sweet so« 
ciety of twenty or more, members of the church 
of England, men and women; some husbands 
and their wives, met in a little room, last Thurs- 
day, at^even o'clock in the evening. An hum- 
ble serious man, and I believe, a sincere Christian, 
read a psalm, with the first chapter of Canticles, 
and the fourth of the first of John, and prayed 
with us; then read a sermon of Mr. Romaine's, 
sang a hymn, and concluded with prayer. 

"It was almost three quarters after eight when 
we separated; with a promise of continuing it, if 
the Lord permit, weekly. We parted so full of 
love. O my friend, it was a sweet season. It is 
the Lord's doing, let us rejoice. He hath grant- 
ed me the desire of my heart, and not withholden 
the request of my lips. 



58 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

"It was on my mind, a good while ago, to pro- 
pose such a society. I mentioned it to you, I be- 
lieve, in my last letter, that I was conversing 
with a good old veteran minister, a stranger, who 
was detained at a relation's of mine by illness, 
and whom I visited. Inquiring into the state of 
religion among us, he said, c he thought no out- 
ward means were so helpful to promote vital re- 
ligion, as those social meetings.' 

"The next LordVday, a minister I heard 
preach, mentioned it as one of the mercies our 
town enjoyed and should bless the Lord for that, 
we have opportunity to meet on the week days, 
and converse on the things of God. The next 
night I proposed it to a friend who lives in a pretty 
neat manner: it pleased God to open his heart to 
it, and he opened his house. 

"Pray with me, my friend, that the Lord may 
reward and bless him with temporal and spiritual 
blessings; 'They shall prosper that love Jerusa- 
lem! 5 And is it not an instance of love in him to 
the dear Redeemer, to his cause and people, thus 
to open his house and his heart to them! Oh let 
us bless God for this instance of love, courage, 
and holy zeal; and may many, very many, be 
quickened by it! 

"It is surpassing wonder, my dear friend, the 
goodness of God; that there should not be the 
least difficulty, the least opposition or hindrance: 
it is the Lord's doing, it is marvellous in our eyes. 
And, could you think it, with shame I speak it, 
whilst we were singing of redeeming love, a 
base, unbelieving, cowardly thought arose in my 
mind, c If a mob should gather round the door, 



MRS, JOANNA TURNER. 59 

should not I be ashamed of confessing the cross 
of Christ?' It distressed me that I should harbor 
such a thought, for a moment; for if the Lord be 
with me, methinks, there is nothing but what [ 
could do or suffer for him, at his command. I 
went out boldly at their head, but there was no- 
body to see us. The great God, the searcher of 
hearts, knows the views of every individual. — 
Lord, I would hope, that it is with a view to thy 
glory, the good of our souls, that we may grow 
in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord Je- 
sus Christ; and that brotherly love may continue! 

This society has continued, with enlargement, 
more than twenty years. For a considerable time 
the deceased procured ministers from Bath and 
Bristol, who preached constantly once a fortnight, 
on the week days, but could not be spared from 
their own congregations on the Lord's day; for 
which reason they walked miles to hear the Gos- 
pel in the distant churches; until it pleased God 
to raise up a preacher among themselves, whose 
labours have been abundantly blessed and owned 
of him, to the conversion of many precious souls. 

Soon after the meeting of this society, a Gospel 
clergyman was providentially introduced into a 
parish contiguous to the town of Trowbridge; 
whose preaching our friend frequently attended, 
and by whom she was much strengthened. As 
she had much desired and prayed for the increase 
of the Redeemer's kingdom in her native place, 
she formed very pleasing hopes from this provi- 
dence, nor were they vain: for immediately after, 
the Gospel was preached in several of the adja- 
cent churches with great success. What frame 



60 LIFE AND DEATft OF 

of mind she now possessed, we may see by peru- 
sing the substance of some letters written to Miss 
B n. 

"It is my comfort, my satisfaction,' 5 says she 
"that I have surrendered myself up with my 
whole heart, as far as I know it, to be the Lord's, 
whose I am, who hath bought me with a price, 
and purchaseth me with his own blood!" In the 
same letter, she says, "Lord thou knowest all 
things, thou knowest I desire to be entirely thine, 
thy sealed fountain, thine inclosed garden! I 
would only live for God! I would only move for 
his praise; having put my hand to the spiritual 
plough, I would not look back! I would follow 
thee through good report and through evil re- 
port, I will pray that none of these things move 
me. 

" Alas! how trifling are the affairs of this life! 
I would be solicitous, anxiously solicitous in the 
inquiry, whether Christ be mine; and for a hap- 
py assurance of it, by the blessed Spirit witness- 
ing with my spirit, discovering to me scriptural 
marks and evidences, and constraining me to 
cry out c my Lord and my God.* I would be in- 
different as to the way and method my heavenly 
Father shall take, to wean me from the world 
and prepare me for glory, I would leave it to 
him to lead me in the right way. When in af- 
fliction, O may I be made fruitful; and when 
surrounded with prosperity, may I be humbled, 
more weaned from earth, more raised to heaven. 

"O my dear Miss B n, how dangerous is 

this earthly state! My troubles, my crosses, my 
disappointments, are my choicest mercies, to be 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 61 

at the foot of the cross, at Jesus's feet to hear 
his loving lips pronounce these reviving words, 
4 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and 
say all manner of evil against you, falsely, for 
my sake; rejoice and be exceeding glad!' O 
my dear friend, our comfort is not in ourselves; 
it is not this or the other situation, it is the pre- 
sence of God that makes the Christian happy! 
without it, he is all wants, all weakness; with it, 
he possesses all things, and is as a giant refreshed 
with wine!" 

Several of her letters at this time breathe the 
language of a soul stayed upon God; rejoicing 
in his salvation, and in the most solemn manner 
devoting herself to him. In one of them she in- 
serts this stanza; — 

C£ Had I ten thousand lives my own* 
At thy command, with cheerful hand, 

I'd lay the vital treasure down, 
In hourly tributes at thy feet." 

Her humility is no less conspicuous: she says, 
" I am overcome with love; and the lively grati- 
tude of my friend shames my dull stupidity. I 
am ashamed of myself: I would put my hand up- 
on my mouth, and my mouth in the dust, and cry, 
6 unclean, unclean! 555 

After reflecting upon herself in the most de- 
basing manner, she exclaims, "Alas! alas, whither 
would my sins sink me were it not for the puri- 
fying fountain that is always open. When I 
view my performances, I abhor myself, and lie 
low as in dust and ashes. 55 

Her confidence in the Redeemer is as strong 
as her humility is great. Alluding to the defeo 



62 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

tiveness of her prayers, she says, " My advocate, 
my glorious intercessor at the right hand of the 
majesty on high, has incense to offer with them, 
a perfume that takes from them all pollution, 
that makes them spices and pleasanifruits." 

Encouraging herself and friend to rely on the 
faithfulness of God for the fulfilment of the pro- 
mises, she says, u With the hand of faith let us 
lay hold on the promises: he gives by covenant 
and by oath, the riches of his grace." 

The vivacity natural to her, vented itself in 
speaking forth the praises of the Lord, from day 
to day: "O taste and see that the Lord is good!" 
was her language wherever she went. 

" Sing on, my dear friends," said she in ano- 
ther letter to the same correspondent, " I will 
heartily join the chorus, in attributing glory to 
God on high, on earth peace, good will towards 
men. I want all, every creature I ever saw or 
heard of, to experience the pleasures of religion, 
the hidden life, the life of faith. 

" Ye lovers, ye pursuers of pleasure,' 5 says 
she, " here are rivers of pleasure promised in 
Christ! he is the only way to the Father. Ye 
ambitious, come; here are crowns of glory pro- 
mised. Misers, exchange corruptible pleasures 
for the riches of grace! Young and old, rich 
and poor, high and low, come to the Lord Jesus 
Christ. He is an overflowing fountain, there is 
a fullness in him to supply all your wants. And 
my heart's desire and prayer for you, my dear, 
dear relations, is, that you may be saved." 

The sense she had of her great unworthiness, 
and the Lord's free grace and mercy, she ex- 
presses thus to the same friend: 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 63 

"O my dear Miss B n, never was a mor* 

tal so unworthy, so blessed as I! The Lord 
hath done great things; what more could have 
been done for me? I want time, I want lan- 
guage to express the greatness of my obligations: 
having Jesus I possess all things, grace here, 
glory hereafter. 

" That the Lord should prepare himself an 
habitation and dwell with man, amazinsr conde- 
scension. O may every buyer and seller be 
scourged out of this heart of mine, that it may be 
a house of prayer, and not a den of thieves. 

" My dearest friend, I can have no fellowship 
with the world; their manners, their foolish cus- 
toms grieve me; I cannot conform to them: I 
would not affect singularity, but alas, without 
designing it, I am so.. 

" The Lord performeth all things for me, is 
my delight, my life, my strength: I can do no- 
thing but sin without his grace: hitherto, praised 
be his name, he hath helped me, and hath pro- 
mised c never to leave nor forsake me;' it is on 
his strength alone I must rely: and he doth 
guide my (eet^ light my path, and is my sun and 
shield: I would live to the glory of God: the 
Lord, who knoweth all things, knoweth, if my 
heart do not deceive me, that this is my desire 
in whatsoever I do: but every work the Lord is 
pleased to employ me in, is so tinctured with 
sin, that it must be abominable in the sight of 
God; for in mine own eyes, it is worse than 
dross and dung. 

" The Lord is pleased to employ me; I am his 
servant; and though his service is delightful li- 




64 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

berty, perfect freedom, and however divinely as- 
sisted I am in duty, * 'Tis pride, that cursed sin, 
spoils all that I perform. 5 " 

Yet did she hunger and thirst for humility, 
continually, as is evident from the remainder of 
the same letter; " The longing desire of my 
soul, my poor weak breathings at the throne of 
grace, are, for humility: the gifts the Lord hath 
bestowed on me are small; and if it be his will 
they should be so, all is wellri would wish for 
that measure as shall be most for his glory:" and 
the Lord gave her testimonies of his approving 
love for thus she goes on to observe: 

"He smiles upon my soul, dandles me on the 
lap of love; condescends for his name, for his 
Son's sake, to accept and answer my stammering 
requests, and my weak desires to lisp his praise: 
All my delight is with the saints, the excellent of 
the earth: the Lord carries me through good and 
evil report! He knows what is best for me: I 
am foolish and cannot choose for myself, but in 
every thing I would give thanks! It is the delight 
of my soul that God may be glorified, whatever 
becomes of me: I would not shrink from any ser- 
vice or sufferings he calls me to! But why do I 
mention services, or sufferings? Alas, poor no- 
thing, nothing that I am!" And this was the lan- 
guage of her renewed heart through life, and to 
her latest hour; notwithstanding she groaned, be- 
ing burdened, with the remains of in-dwelling 
corruption, at times: which lessened gradually, 
day by day, as the grace of God prevailed in her 
heart: till grace reigned triumphantly over every 
enemy, and she could say, with Paul, "I have 






MRS. JOANNA TUKNER. 6B 

fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I 
have kept the faith," &c. 

Notwithstanding Satan made a handle of her 
besetting sins, pride and vanity, to distress her 
soul, and rob her, for a time, of her peace and 
joy in the Lord; yet he could not move her feet 
from the firm rock Christ, the hope set before 
her in the gospel: neither cause her faith to fail; 
nor prevent the work of the Lord from prosper- 
ing in her heart, or in her hands! The church to 
which she was a nursing mother, grew and mul- 
tiplied, to the pulling down the strong holds of 
Satan in many hearts, and setting up the Redeem- 
er's kingdom in its room; as she thus testifies in 

another letter to Miss B n, concerning the 

increase of the society. 

"Rejoice with me, my dearly beloved / friend: 
Our adorable Redeemer's kingdom is come into 
many hearts, and Satan is tumbling down. We 
have sweet times of refreshing from the Lord, in 
general, at our meetings: but such precious mani- 
festations of the love of God to particular souls, 
ono- and another, many, many of my dearest 
friends, that I cannot but rejoice at the glad ti- 
dings: Who is comforted and I r^jbice not. 

u O my friend: I want a placet lower than the 
lowest earth to sink into, not from the presence 
of God; it is my delight, my heaven upon earth, 
to enjoy that: but, proud haughty w T orm that I am, 
how 7 do I long to be nothing, that my Saviour, 
my Redeemer, my incarnate God may be all in 
all. 

u He has overcome me with his love, rebel, 
traitor that 1 am: O, may my right hand forget 



66 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

her cunning, rather than I forget where I was, 
how it was with me, when my Saviour, mighty 
to save, passed by and plucked me as a brand 
from the burning. O, grace, grace, rich, free, 
sovereign grace: Join me, ye daughters of Jeru- 
salem. Why is the neglected harp hung upon 
the willows? Shall the daughters of Israel sing 
of slaughter? "Saul has slain his thousands, and 
David his tens of thousands?" and shall not we 
sing of salvation! proclaim the triumphs of our 
victorious king; in whose sight the greatest mon- 
archs of the earth are but as the dust of the ba- 
lance. 

"What is the might of creatures thus to be 
celebrating? And if we speak of beauty, he is 
fairer than the sons of men: None, no, not the 
saints, who are the excellent of the earth, are 
worthy to be compared: He is the chiefest among 
ten thousand: He hath ravished my heart with 
one of his eyes, and his love — 

*Tis love divine, all loves excelling.' 

O my friend: let the Michals, the barren profes- 
sors, call our holy joy enthusiasm, delusion, or 
what they please; I will be yet more vile, and 
dance before the ark with all my might: Glory, 
increasing Glory be to our all-glorious, triune 
God, and let all the people say Amen. 

"Indeed, my dear, I am highly favoured; have 
much more to say, but have not time to write it 
now. Two or three mornings ago I was reflect- 
ing on my past uncommon cheerfulness, and, in- 
deed, gayety in religion. I thought whether it 
were right, though, indeed, I cannot restrain it, 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 67 

and was beseeching- the Lord not to suffer me to 
be under a delusion: whilst I was yet speaking, 
the promises of God were most sweetly applied 
to my heart. But I cannot repeat one thousandth 
part of the goodness of the Lord." 

In another letter to the same person, dated 
March 7, 1763, she writes thus: "Oh my friend, 
if 1 had a thousand tongues, I could not express a 
thousandth part of God's goodness to me, worm 
as I am; mine eyes have seen the Lord: where- 
fore, I abhor myself as in dust and ashes! I would 
desire in every thing I say or do, to have a single 
eye to God's glory: it is meet, right, and my 
bounden duty so to do; but in every thing I of- 
fend, by exalting self! Surely, there is none in 
my heavenly Father's family like me: I cannot 
see one of such a proud, self-magnifying disposi- 
tion as myself! 

"The Lord is pleased to employ me: to give 
me inclination and ability, a wonderful share of 
health, strength of body and activeness of dispo- 
sition. By nature, none more heavy, more indo- 
lent than myself! But the Lord continually up- 
holds me, or to w T hat a dreadful distance should I 
continually backslide! He will not suffer me, for 
his Son's sake, his glory's sake, for his promise 
sake, will not let me finally fall! 

"Hitherto he hath helped, hath promised never 
to leave nor forsake me. But my dear, is it not 
strange that grace — the grace of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, does not make me more humble? Some-, 
times I want to break my fetters, and to spring up 
into his presence and likeness; not to be freed 
from outward troubles and anxieties — I have 



68 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

none: the Lord bears me and all my burdens: the 
path of duty is made so plain and easy, it is de- 
lightful: but after I have done all, I see myself 
such an unprofitable servant! I am almost con- 
tinually checked at my manner of performing any 
thing — it is dross, it is dung, justly might the 
Lord cast it into my face with a — "Who hath re- 
quired this at thy hands? 1 ' But salvation is finish- 
ed — Jesus suffered, bled and died! O, how am 
I indebted to rich, free, sovereign grace! My 
dear, praise for me: O, may the Lord give you 
to shout aloud for joy on my behalf! 5 ' 

Speaking of the further increase of the society, 
she says, "The Lord is a wonder-working God. I 
am astonished — my speech fails me; nay, like the 
Queen ofSheba, my heart fainteth at the glorious 
appearance, for a far greater than Solomon is here. 
I am young — a novice, but the young men, the fath- 
ers in Christ, are amazed to see so many under con- 
victions; so many waiting at the pool of Bethesda, 
and so many rejoicing in the Lord — built up, 
strenthened and established. 

" A near and dear relation, a *lad of nineteen 
years of age, is inclined to join our society, without 
the least invitation from any of us. r I cannot tell 
you how I am blest in this sweet.relation. He is a 
wonder unto many; a scribe well instructed, so full 
of light, life and love. Like Mr. Hervey, he turns 
our tea-repast into an ordinance; talks with, and 
reads sermons to us; and afterwards sets us to 
singing psalms, and I hope to see greater things 
than these. His mother seems to be longing for 
the salvation of the Lord. How happy is she, to 

*Mr. John Clark, the present pastor oyer the people at the Ta- 
bernacle, in Trowbridge. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 69 

have a preacher raised up in her family and a 
sweet one too. It is but for the Lord to speak, 
and great shall be the company of the preachers. 

A gentleman that you heard me speak of, and 
his family, seem greatly awakened; and many 
more. This has been a blessed winter; pray for 
us, that these impressions may not be like the 
morning cloud, and early dew, that passeth away; 
but that all may endure hardships; as good soldiers 
of Jesus Christ. 5 ' 

In this same correspondence we have a very 
agreeable anecdote; whereby we see how small 
the beginnings of the work of God sometimes are, 
and by how minute an accident great events may 
be brought about. In the continuation of an ac- 
count of the progress the little society is making, 
for the prosperity of which she discovers an aba- 
ting concern; she mentions a young man, a shop- 
man to a grocer, who bore all the marks of a sin- 
cere Christian. One evidence was his zeal to 
communicate to the family at large, what he him- 
self partook of, that is to say, the grace of God: 
and those clear views of the method of salvation, 
by faith alone in Jesus Christ; which at best 
they had very confused ideas of. 

To effect his endeavors he found it necessary to 
elude their prejudices: and that the author whom 
he put into their hands might be read without pre- 
judice, he concealed the name in the title page. 
The author, who was Mr. Whitefield, obtained 
approbation: and the young man had permission 
to read to them in the same volume. One of the 
subjects was, the duty of family prayer, from 
Joshua xxiv. 15. — The conviction of the duty led 
to the practice of it: which was afterwards sup- 



70 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

ported, for some time, either by the master of the 
family, or by the young man in his absence. 

May we not here detect the evil of prejudice: 
and learn from hence, that if people would be guid- 
ed by reason, instead of being misled by partiali- 
ty; they would make many valuable discoveries, 
which through prejudice they are kept ignorant of? 

In this correspondence likewise, we follow this 
active handmaid of the Lord, through various labo- 
rious employments of visiting the sick, the poor 
and the afflicted; and hear her breathing out her 
soul to God in prayer, that she might not be a 
cumberer of the ground, and a dead weight on the 
cause of God, or a clog to religion: She also ex- 
pressed her dread of inactivity and self indul- 
gence; and of there being any thing in her conduct, 
that might damp the ardour and zeal of God's peo- 
ple. We find her condescending to do the mean- 
est offices for her poor brethren and sisters, and 
see her sensibly affected w r ith their joys and sor- 
rows. 

Her soul is suitably affected by the happy exit of 
a poor woman of the society, whose life and death 
redounded much to the credit of religion; nor less 
afflicted by the irregular conduct of a backslider, 
who was expelled from the little society; "Alas!" 
saith she, "my brother! I mourn, I pray for him; 
Lord Jesus, restore him, if it be thy blessed will." 

In the fall of others, she discovers her obligation 
to God for his preserving and establishing graces 
and makes this suitable reflection, "How wonder- 
ful is the arm of the Lord revealed in upholding 
me, such a worm as I am: if left to myself, what 
shipwreck should I make of faith and a good con- 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 71 

science! But the Lord will not suffer it: He will 
keep me as the apple of his eye: He will never 
leave, never forsake me; none shall pluck me out 
of his hand. 

In the same letter she gives her more enlarged 
views: saying, " I am strongly persuaded the 
Lord will furnish me for every good work he 
calls me to: I can now lie down in peace under his 
protection, and go forth in his strength all the 
day long. How wonderfully doth he condescend 
to me, the weakest of his family: He grants me 
my request, fulfils my desires; encompasses me 
about with a w r all of fire; bears all my burdens, 
my sins and my sorrows: 1 must rejoice in the 
Lord, yea my soul shall make her boast in God. 

" I am weary of this hard, cold, lifeless heart: 
I am not weary of the world with all its opposi- 
tion: not weary of the service of God, in these 
courts below, though it is all imperfection: it is 
delightful to spend and be spent for God." 

Her company now became a burthen to those 
who were strangers to her joy. Her conduct, in 
mixing so openly with the poor, and going with 
them to Church and meeting so constantly, was 
considered in the most unfavourable light. To 
prevent the continuance of this, she was put upon 
taking another journey to Bristol, in hopes she 
would remain there. 

Two good effects followed from this scheme: 
that is, it proved an opportunity of remarkable 
usefulness, as will be taken notice of; and put 
her upon her own hands: whereby she was releas- 
ed from many inconveniences peculiar to her then 
present connections. The circumstances referred 



72 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

to may be taken from a letter written on the occa- 
sion: — 

" A few weeks ago, I was providentially led 
to visit a young lady in a consumption. My heart 
was filled with love, and my mouth with words 
of encouragement: I spoke comfortably to her 
from God's word: the Lord gave me favour in 
her sight, though a stranger. She desired me to 
see her often. After my second visit I was dis- 
couraged. I could not discern in her, what I 
thought, a proper distress for sin; therefore sus- 
pected the work was not begun. Her concern 
about little trifling things disgusted me; and con- 
cluding, that it was the Lord only that could work 
in her both to will and to do, was resolved to stay 
away: He was Alpha and Omega; the keys of 
hell and death; 'openeth and no man can shut, 
and shutteth and no man can open:' However, 
with much weakness and little faith, I importuned 
the Lord to have mercy upon her. In the midst 

of my unwillingness, a friend told me Miss 

wanted to see me, from this time I was made 
willing, it was the day of the Lord's power. 

"One evening, about a month ago, she told me 
she thought she should die: I asked her, whether 
she was willing to die? She said, c O yes: if she 
was but prepared: burst into tears, and affection- 
ately clasped my hand : I spake to her, as the Lord 
enabled me, of Jesus the friend of sinners: of the 
efficacy of his blood to atone for, and of his right- 
eousness to adorn the most guilty soul, all that 
will come, all that thirst. A violent fit of cough- 
ing came on, which much distressed me; suppos- 
ing by too much conversation 1 had been the 
cause of it. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 73 

"From that time I had no doubt of her salva- 
tion. Soon after, I had a delightful opportunity 
with her: it was a morning to be remembered: she 
was thirsting for Jesus, and longed for an interest 
in him more than for a thousand worlds; there 
was none in heaven she desired but him: she was 
looking for a sweet hymn of Mr. Cennick's, suita- 
ble to her state: the title of it "Thirsting for Je- 
sus." I found it out and read it. That night she 
had been greatly blessed in dreaming she was in 
heaven: and the nurse heard her sing, very sweet- 
ly, these verses of Mr. Whitefield's hymn for so- 
ciety: 

Who so much cause to sing, 

Who so much cause to bless; 
As we the children of a King, 

As we who Christ possess!" 

I could not but take account that she had been 
with Jesus: There was a sacred shine upon her 
countenance: 'While I was musing, the fire kin- 
dled' in my own soul, praise and glory be to pur 
God, for ever and for ever. I think this was about 
a fortnight ago. 

"Last Wednesday evening I found her dying. 
She said, she wanted me to come and stay with 
her; but was then going to sleep. The Rev. 
Mr. Thomas came in, and asked her several 
questions, which she answered distinctly and satis- 
factorily though she seemed low. He prayed that 
she might be enabled to leave behind her a com- 
fortable testimony of the hope that was in her. 
She had an exceedingly restless night; but after, a 
sounder sleep in the morning, by which she was 
4 



74 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

much refreshed, she looked upon me and two of 
her companions, with such a heavenly look and 
smile, as was astonishing. My dear, said f, you 
look very happy; is any particular promise ap- 
plied to your soul, or are all the promises yours? 
and I repeated several. "All are mine,' 5 said 
she. Then you have no doubts? said I. She re- 
plied, " None at all now, though I have had 
sometimes." I said, then you think Christ is 
able to save you — he is God: "O yes," said the 
dear creature. And willing too, said I, for he 
died for sinners. " Yes, yes, he is," she replied. 
He is the " chiefest among ten thousand," said 1: 
"He is lovely, 5 ' said she, " altogether lovely." 
My dear, said I, you are going to be freed from 
prison, and to be admitted to the general assem- 
bly above: " I am," she replied, " and going to 
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!" It doth not ap- 
pear, said I, what we shall be, but we shall be 
like Jesus: "Oh," said she, " that long white 
robe that covers from head to foot, I long to have 
it on! 5 ' meaning a shroud which she dreamt was 
sent her in a band box; folded up, and a paper 
on it, whereon was written, "Peace be unto thee, 
thy sins are forgiven thee;" and it was that 
which set her soul at such a happy liberty. " I 
talk of dying," said she, "but when shall I die? 
yet I would not be impatient." Seeing her 
young friends weep, she said, " Do not grieve 
for me:" and to one of them, she said, " If you 
were going with me, then you would be happy." 
She looked around the room, and said, " I be- 
lieve there are places prepared above for every 
one of us." 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 75 

" Many, very many gracious words, dropped 
from her lips, which I pray to God may be so- 
lemnly impressed on every heart that heard 
them: a more pleasant and smiling countenance, 
in death, I never saw: nor any, in the most per- 
fect health, more serene and calm: not a com- 
plaint or a groan was heard: sorrow and sighing 1 
was already done away by her dear Redeemer; 
who was wonderfully with her in the dark valley. 
The Lord was her light; she had no darkness. 
When they wiped the death sweats from her 
face, she smiled, and said, " You cannot wipe 
these away." 

" In the evening, when I called again, I know 
not how we were led to it, but the nurse and I 
spake on a trifling subject, which we thought 
would have diverted her. She looked graver 
than I ever saw her. I felt the reproof, and 
said, " My dear, I will talk to you of nothing 
but Jesus: of his dying love, of his rising pow- 
er." She smiled and said, " No; nothing, no- 
thing else.' 5 Miss B n watched with her 

and in the night heard her say, " All glory, all 
praise, all worship and adoration:" as if she had 
begun the song of Moses and the lamb. 

"A very short time before she expired, the 
Rev. Mr. Thomas felt her pulse. She asked 
him, " How he found it?" He said, he believed 
she was drawing near her dissolution. She re- 
plied, " Sir, I am glad of it. 5 ' He prayed with 
her. She leaned forward in her chair to pre- 
vent coughing. Her mamma observed her lift- 
ing up her hands to heaven with great earnest- 
ness; and, in a few minutes after, she fell asleep 
in Jesus." 



76 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

But while Miss Cook was thus profitably and 
delightfully employed, in visiting the sick, and 
in other offices of love, among her friends at 
Bristol, she received information that she must 
change the plan of her life; and either relinquish 
the Methodists, or leave the advantage of board- 
ing in her late comfortable manner, free of all 
expense. She did not hesitate a moment, which 
to choose; but determined to be faithful to her 
holy calling, though she lived, in the meanest 
cottage, on bread and water. So far from giv- 
ing up the people of God, she only waited for 
such an opening in providence, to look out for 
a cottage in order to be more at liberty to for- 
ward the cause she had espoused, by having a 
place of her own, where she could receive the 
people, and accommodate the ministers, who 
came from far. But she was at a loss where to 
find an empty cottage, or part of a house, at 
Towbridge: and the following extract from her 
journal will best set forth her painful and pleas- 
ing feelings on the occasion. She betook her- 
self to prayer, as her only resource, in this time 
of distress and difficulty; for thus she expresses 
herself: 

" I importuned the God of the whole earth to 
provide me an habitation, food and raiment; and 
every convenience requisite for my poor body, 
as should be best for his glory. And I would 
adore him with unceasing praises, that my soul 
is not destitute: that he himself is its habitation, 
whereunto I may always resort; its food likewise, 
for he said, c take, eat, this is my body, broken 
for you:' and its raiment, the garment of salva- 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 77 

tion: and c if a son ask bread, will he give him a 
stone; or if he ask a fish, will he give him a 
serpent?' Glorify thyself, O thou God of love, 
in me, through me, by me. 

" Thursday. — And is the most high God an 
habitation for my soul; my rock, the house of 
my defence, and my strong tower? Has he hid 
me in that rock, and caused all his goodness to 
pass before me? Glory forever to his name, he 
has! I am in Christ, grafted into him, dwell in 
him: and he will also provide for my earthly 
part: 1 shall want no manner of thing which is 
good: the earth is the Lord's and the fulness 
thereof: I shall be led by a way I know not: he 
will smite rocks: [ shall never be confounded, 
never be put to shame; Lord, increase my faith: 
I believe, help thou mine unbelief, 

"O, what an ignorant, simple, foolish child 
am I: never were such broken petitions accepted 
before; such stammering requests granted; it is 
all for Christ's sake: I abhor my prayers; they 
are chatterings indeed; Jesus, my adorable Sa- 
viour, has purchased every blessing; and how 
little do I love him! My dear Lord assures me 
of his Love: he is every thing I want: his cross 
and his presence, O how sweet: Lord, why this 
love to me? it overcomes me: what wilt thou have 
me to do? reveal thy dear will to me, and I will 
die for thee: submit my head to the block, my 
body to the flames: if thou art near, the mostcru- 
el death, even famine, would be sweet: there is 
no affliction that I dread but thy absence: O leave 
me not; I can do nothing without thee. 

"Lord, why this out-pouring of thy precious 



78 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

love? Why these endearing names, so sweetly 
impressed on my mind, thy father, thy husband, 
thy strength, the mighty God thy deliverer: Is 
there any trial coming upon me? My Saviour 
will be with me. 

"Lord, thou lovest me with an unchangeable 
love: therefore I am not consumed: how cold my 
heart: how lifeless my petitions: how little have 
I to say to thee, and yet am surrounded on every 
side with difficulties: I have been wandering a- 
mongthe creatures: and my proud heart has been 
puffed up with the applause of fellow worms: O, 
when shall 1 be freed from this satanic disposi- 
tion! Jesus, my God, my humble Saviour, take 
possession of my whole heart: reign in me with- 
out a rival: bring every thought into subjection to 
thy blessed self: I will not let thee go except 
thou bless me: I shall be miserable without thy 
blessing, 

"Friday, noon: surely, the Lord is doing great 
things for me by the death of a poor wretch: I 
believe, Lord, thou art providing me an house 
just in the situation, the very place I want; and 
believe thou hast given me to desire it: if it be for 
thy glory put it into the heart of my brother to 
take it for me: all hearts are in thine hands: bring 
it to pass: make it a blessing to me, and give me 
thy dear presence, or 1 should be miserable in it: 
mine eyes are to thee, and to thee only: glorify 
thyself, do with me as thou seest good. 

"Saturday: Lord, when shall I be unhinged 
from every thing here below, alike unmoved at 
smiles or slights from friends? When shall 1 have 
no passion, no desire, but that of love to my Re- 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 79 

deemer? Lord, remember thy servant in all her 
troubles: is it not for thy sake, for thy cause? — 
Can they say any thing against me, save in the 
matter of my God? Display thine Almighty 
arm: provide me an habitation, food and raiment, 
every thing necessary ! Thou hast promised, and 
thou wilt perform. 

"Monday: Oh my unbelieving heart; how can 
these things be, it cries: I get grovelling here be- 
low: the people reproach, taunt over me, say, 
'Do you expect miracles?' Lord, remember Da- 
vid in all his troubles: shall 1 not go up to thy 
work, up to fight thy battles? Lord, what wilt 
thou have me to do? speak, for thy servant would 
hear: guide me every movement, my every step, 
by the pillar of fire by night: and of the cloud by 
day: if I saw ways and means, every thing likely 
to succeed, it would not be walking by faith! I 
would not choose for myself: I see it right to live 
atTrowbridge,in order to encourage and strength- 
en the hands of the people of God there: and be- 
lieve the Lord has called me to that work; though 
at present, there is no house found for me. 

u For some years I have thought of living by 
myself, when it should not be convenient to live 
with my relations; which is now the case. If the 
Lord give me an house, it shall be devoted to 
him; for his ministers: his people: I will erect an 
altar there to his glory: Lord, open thou my lips, 
that my mouth may shew forth thy praise: I have 
found great sweetness and encouragement from 
the 54th of Isaiah, and I believe the Lord there 
promises that 1 shall never be put to shame: He 
will lead me by a way that I know uot. Lord, 



80 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

increase my faith: keep me continually: suffer me 
never to be a reproach to thy people, to thy 
cause: guide me continually, that thy holy reli- 
gion may not be blamed for my misconduct: be 
with me through all the wilderness: bear me as 
thine Israel of old: there is no affliction like the 
hidings of thy countenance." 

Thus distressed and perplexed in mind: some- 
times relying on the promises of God, and at 
other times ready almost to give up her hope, be- 
cause there was not yet an habitation to be found 
at Trowbridge; and having stayed a sufficient 
time with the friends she visited, she began to 
tliiuk she should bean outcast among men; and 
have, like her Saviour, no place wherein to lay 
her head. In this time of extremity, this great 
exigence, it appears, that her valuable cousins 
Johnson took her to live with them, till she could 
hear of a house at Trowbridge: for thus she goes 
on with her journal. 

"Monday, July 30th, 1764.— College-green, 
Bristol; at Miss Johnson's: "Oh my God, thou 
hast brought me: it is a place of thine own pro- 
viding, an habitation thou givest me: and thou 
dost bless me: all thy gifts, O my God, are with- 
out repentance: here, I taste something of the 
joys of heaven, in sweetly contending with my 
dear Miss Johnson, w r ho shall love our dear Im- 
manuel most; though of different persuasions iu 
some doctrinal points, and each zealous in our 
opinion, we have no other strife. 

u But alas, I feel very unworthy in her pre- 
sence. She does adorn the doctrine of God her 
Saviour, in all things: O my leanness, my leanness: 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 81 

Lord, take me into closer communion with thy 
blessed self: I cannot bear this distance! O per- 
mit me, worm as I am, to walk, to talk with thee: 
my soul longeth, nay even fainteth for those bles- 
sed privileges: how is it that every one of the 
family makes a greater proficiency; excels me, 
improves their talents better than I? 

u Lord, make me a lively stone! Thou art my 
life: I cannot move without thee: teach me how 
to pray; I am thy child: and shall I not call thee 
"Jlbba, Father?" permit me to plead with thee: 
fill my mouth with arguments: Lord, should I 
make a bad use of this gift, that thou withholdest 
it from me: glorify thyself; let me be any thing 
thou wouldsthave me be: but oh! when I have an 
habitation, enable me, for thy name's sake, for thy 
glory's sake, to call upon thee! 1 cannot let thee 
go, unless thou bless me: thou art my only friend; 
thou must supply my every want, and wilt thou 
not be sought unto for these things? Lord, open 
thou my lips, that my mouth may shew forth thy 
praise. 

"Tuesday, July 31, 1764. O what an igno- 
rant wretch am I: how little do I know of Jesus, 
of his dying love, of his rising power: Lord Je- 
sus, that which I know not, teach thou me: take 
me into closer union with thy adorable self; let 
me die to every thing besides: let me talk with 
thee, walk with thee continually: O, be thou the 
only beloved of my soul; overcome me with thy 
love, with one look of thine eyes: why should I 
be as a stranger to my beloved? Touch my 
heart, touch my lips with a live coal. 

"O, what a poor weakling, what a babe do I 
4* 



82 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

continue; whilst others are flourishing in the 
courts of my God: Oh, what a lively devoted 

Christian is my dear Miss J n! Her life is a 

transcript of her dear Redeemer's: there is no- 
thing in her whole behaviour, in her whole con- 
versation, that grieves, that distresses me! Her 
faith, her love, her zeal, her patience, all sweetly 
active and shining: we enjoy something of heaven, 
it is bethel: we differ in judgment: without con- 
tention, except who shall love most: we converse 
together of Jesus, pray and praise together! O, 
what a cumberer of the ground am 1 ? I praise 
my God, who hath cast my lot here: it is a bles- 
sed place, an habitation of the Lord's providing: 

in my dear Miss J n, I see, how true believers 

should live: Ebenezer — hitherto the Lord hath 
helped, hath carried me in his arms of love; heap- 
ed blessings upon me of the upper and the nether 
springs. 

"Prayer-meetings exceedingly sweet: I am 
feasted as with marrow and fatness: a dear friend, 

Mrs. D le, whom the Lord hath wonderfully 

setat liberty to praise him; to believe his promis- 
es, to trust his word, we spake together of his 
goodness to us in the land of the living, till we 
brake out aloud in hosannahs and hallelujahs. 

a Sept. 5, 1764, I think I had a sweet promise, 
this morning, that I should never be forsaken: that 
I should always walk in the light of his counte- 
nance! I did not, before, doubt but the Lord 
would keep me to the end: but oh, if he would 
condescend always to smile, to be sensibly near 
my soul; to be my light, my life: O, Lord, let it 
be unto thy servant, according to thy word, on 
which thou hast caused me to hope. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 83 

"Sept. 6th, 1764. Lost in wonder, love and 
praise, at the great things the Lord hath done for 
me in a temporal way: surely, he hath restored 
goods, house, friends, &c. an hundred fold! What 
an habitation, what friends, have I! my cup run- 
neth over; I am fed with the finest of the wheat; 
and if I had ten thousand lives, all should be de- 
voted to him! I am ashamed of my poor returns 
of love: to me belong nothing but shame and con- 
fusion of face! My mouth is in the dust; but as 
long as 1 have any being* I will sing praises unto 
my God." 

" September 27th of the same year, part of a 
house was found for her, in Trowbridge, just in 
the moment of extremity: for she had packed up 
the goods she mentions in the journal, that Miss 

J n made her a present of, believing the Lord 

would provide an house. And according to her 
faith, so was it done unto her, as her journal con- 
cerning it testifies. 

"September 27, 1764. ( Jehovah Jireh' the 
Lord hath wonderfully provided: Some time past, 
questioning whether the Lord would be with me; 
saying, how could these things be? Would he 
open the windows of heaven, then indeed it might 
be, the precious 54th of Isaiah occurred to my 
mind: which I believe was impressed by the Spi- 
rit of God, two of three days before I received 
a letter, giving me to understand, that it would 
not be agreeable for me to return to my former 
habitation, from which I concluded, the Lord di- 
rected me to keep house; that it was his will; 
and he would provide me with every necessary. 
Some few nights before, in a dream, I was great- 



84 LIFE AHD DEATH OF 

]y affected with that promise, "When thou pas- 
sest through the waters; I will be with thee, and 
through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: 
when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not 
be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon 
thee." Oh what a promise-performing God is 
mine. 

Dear Miss Johnson's heart was inclined to pro- 
mise me much- furniture, (almost as much as I 
want) the day after I received a letter of dismis- 
sion from my dear friend's house, at Trowbridge. 
If one spring is stopped, another is opened. 
'All my springs are in him,' from whom all my 
consolations flow! 'My heart is fixed trusting in 
the Lord!' I have not been suffered to doubt but 
I shall have an habitation, and all things conve- 
nient, in the sight of all men; crying continually, 
without ceasing, to my heavenly Father, but in 
so broken a manner! abundantly meaner than the 
chatterings of a crane: He heard me, not for my 
prayers, but for my Redeemer's sake. 

"My unenlightened friends said, there would 
not be a place for me at Trowbridge, that I 
should be disappointed; for so would they have 
it to be. But my desire was to go up to the 
Lord's work in that place, my native place: and 
he gave me almost continual encouragements and 
calls. The 7th of Deuteronomy was a seasona- 
ble reviving cordial, at this time of distress. 

"At another time, when Miss J n persuad- 
ed me not to send my goods till I was certain of a 
house, the first six verses of the twelfth of Eze- 
kiel made me forward it: "Son of man, thou 
dwellest in the midst of a rebellious house, which 



MRS. JOANNA TURNEK. 85 

have eyes to see and see not, they have ears to 
hear and hear not; for they are a rebellious house. 
Therefore, thou son of man, prepare thee stuff 
for removing, and remove by day in their sight; 
and thou shalt remove from thy place to # anoiher 
place in their sight: it may be they will consider, 
though they be a rebellious house. Then shalt 
thou bring forth thy stuff by day in their sight, 
as stuff for removing: and thou shalt go forth at 
even in their sight, as they that go forth into cap- 
tivity. Dig thou through the wall in their sight, 
and carry it out thereby. In their sight shalt thou 
bear it upon thy shoulders, and carry it forth in the 
twilight; thou shalt cover thy face that thou see 
not the ground; for I have set thee for a sign unto 
the house of Israel" And before the goods 
were ready to go, a house was provided, and con- 
veniences, without my taking thought; for which 
1 bless my heavenly Father, who so wonderfully 
provides for me! I am now furnished with almost 
every convenience: cheerfully purchase necessa- 
ries, but dread having a superfluous thing, I have 
no right to that: my God has not promised it me: 
I want it not, no, if it cost but one farthing. 

"This morning the stuff is gone. I used my 
endeavours to have it loaden with care; and am 
satisfied that all my concerns are under the di- 
vine superintendence. It has been a blessed morn- 
ing; surely, this has been a time to be remember- 



*It is remarkable, that Mrs. Turner, did remove this same fur- 
niture Miss J n gave her; first, to Trowbridge, where she 

built a tabernacle for the Lord; and afterwards to Tisbury, near 
Hindon, in the county of Wilts, where she built another house for 
God, 



8G LIFE AND DEATH OF 

ed! My soul is watered as with the dews of heav- 
en: I have sweet communion with my God! I 
have told him my whole heart; importuned for 
for his presence; cast myself upon him, as hav- 
ing nothing else to trust to; begged he would 
glorify himself in me: let what would happen to 
me I cared not! But I was solicitous, very solicit- 
ous for the conversion of my dear relations; said 
I would leave them to his time if he would give 
me some token for good ! Erskin's Believer's Join- 
ture has been sweet to me! I opened on my knees 
Ihe second chapter of Daniel: O, what faith was 
his! 'Then Daniel went in and told the king, if 
he would give him time, he would shew the in- 
terpretation; The Lord is the same, yesterday, 
to-day, and for ever! O that he would give me 
faith like his servants of old. 

"Opening a new Bible, the leaf was folded 
down, which could not be in the binding, because 
the edge was gilt, at the 49th of Genesis, and the 
latter part of the 26th verse; 'The blessings of 
the utmost bounds of the everlasting hills, they 
shall be on the head of Joseph, and on the crown 
of him that was separated from his brethren; O 
my God, my God, is not this thy word, thy pro- 
mise, whereon thy servant may hope? Surely, it 
is a token for good; and my soul is refreshed as 
with new wineP 

She returned from Bristol with the blessing of 
the Lord upon her, as upon the patriarch of old, 
to whom the Lord said, "Return unto thy coun- 
try and to thy kindred, and I will deal well with 
thee. 5 ' 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 87 

She went out an outcast, as it were, from the 
face of her near and dear friends; and returned, 
laden with the gifts and favours of her distant re- 
lations. Nay, she found the faces of those that 
were set against her, now turned towards her, as 
Esau's was to Jacob; for thus she writes to Miss 
E. J n on the occasion: — 

"'Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is 
within me, bless his holy name,for his mercy endur- 
eth forever!' O, my dear friend, I cannot ex- 
press the thousandth part of the goodness of the 
Lord; He hath blessed my going out and my 
coming in! 

"After your dear sister left me, I was so wrapt 
up in sweet, silent meditation of the all-glorious, 
all lovely, triune God; and in admiring the works 
of creation, the delightful weather, the pleasant- 
ness of the country, the sweet Sun of Righteous- 
ness shining upon my soul, that I could not at- 
tend to my company. Their voices seemed harsh 
and disagreeable, till I considered, now was the 
time to live for God; to live with Him an eternity 
is provided; I therefore endeavoured to speak a 
word for Him: the conversation was blessed to my 
own soul at least. He gave me courage in the day 
of battle, and enabled me to reprove a very old 
swearer for taking his sacred name in vain. 

"The Lord was with me of a truth in my jour> 
ney, and I arrived safe at my sister's in the even- 
ing, and was received kindly. All my care and 
anxiety, I see is needless. My brethern in the 
Lord received me with a loving simplicity, glo- 
rifying God on my behalf. There were no rap- 
tures nor transports of admiration, but all their 






88 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

behavior was delightfully sweet and calm! Jesus 
was exalted and adored! I gave them an invitation 
to meet at my house LordVday mornings. All 
my relations acknowledge how well 1 look: and 
express such a surprise as shews they expected 
to have seen me a very different creature. 

" After breakfast I went to my house; and sure- 
ly my heart did glow with something like grati- 
tude; Lord, increase the little spark into a mighty 
flame. I had my bedstead soon put up. Sister 
Cole sent me a new bed and quilt, and indeed 
they look very neat; but I must not admire the 
creature: — 

"This foolish heart would leave its God, 
"And shadows tempt her thoughts abroad. " 

" If I should accept of all the invitations given 
me from friends and relatives, I should eat and 
drink almost continually. 1 have hitherto con- 
stantly dined out, and am yet, for several days, 
engaged to dine abroad; so that it will be some 
time before I have finished my round. Thus I fare 
sumptuously every day; but I rise from table as 
soon as it is discharged, and return home to my 
own beloved chamber, where I have had a con- 
stant fire. 

''Miss Jennings is extremely ill. Miss Allen 
and she are both exceedingly obliging and kind 
to me, but they do not own and honour my Savi- 
our, therefore, I am afraid they do not know him. 
I told them they had taken a Methodist into their 
house, and I was determined, through Christ 
strengthening me, to be more and more so, and 
when they were weary of me, thev must put me 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 89 

away. I told them of our society's coming to 
my parlour Sunday mornings, and invited them 
to partake of the Gospel-feast, as in my Father's 
house there is bread enough and to spare. These 
dear creatures said nothing to the contrary, but 
there has been a mighty bustle since. My poor 

cousin J C was like to have a fatal blow 

fi;om a friend for meeting with us, but the Lord pre- 
served him, and has blessed him with much of his 
presence ever since. Last night the storm fell 
upon me; my aunt came to persuade me against 
it: said it would be hurtful to Miss Jennings's and 
Miss Allen's trade; but before she went away, 
'Saul was also among the prophets!' nay, the ta- 
bles were so turned, that i insisted upon it, she 
should meet with us; I invited her in my Lord's 
name, and would admit of no excuse but her ina- 
bility to rise so early, because she is unwieldly 
and weak; but she promised to come on evenings, 
if we ever should meet. My dearest cousin rejoi- 
ced with me; she went away so melted into love to 
Christ, so broken in heart. Oh, what shall we 
render unto the Lord! 

;c Very soon after, Miss Allen and Miss Jenkins 
told me their fears of losing their business, by 
having a Methodist meeting in their house; but 
1 told them it was the only way to prosper, 'to 
seek blessings of the Lord. 9 We had a great 
deal of conversation upon it, but I insisted on it 
that i would erect an altar for the Lord in my 
habitation, and that I should be continually having 
friends to 'pray down blessings upon them!' I 
pleaded my right to do as I pleased, and admit 
whom I pleased into my apartment, but told them 



90 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

I would stay no longer in their house than they 
pleased. I was sure the Lord would provide 
me another place, I would not even insist on the 
quarterns warning. 

"After putting up my broken petitions to the 
Lord that he would strengthen me — unto me be- 
long nothing but shame and confusion of face, — 
I was enabled, the first night to beseech them 
that we might pray together before we went to 
rest, as the Lord had threatened to pour out cur- 
ses 'on the families that call not upon Him.' " 

"O how good, how gracious, how condescend- 
ing is my heavenly Father! How does he cheer 
the heart of his poor, destitute, helpless ones!— 
He will 'never leave me, nor forsake me! 5 I am 
not c afraid of evil tidings; my heart is fixed, trust- 
ing in the Lord.' 1 am just come from a friend 
who sent to acquaint me, that the landlord of the 
house, who is a clergyman, will forbid my meet- 
ings, but that will make them the more abundant: 
my God commands, and in his strength, I must 
obey. 55 

In another letter she says, "praise the Lord 
with me; praise him for me! It is all 1 wish, 
want, or desire! O for an eternity to praise my 
redeeming God for what he has delivered me 
from! He hath clad me with the robe of salva* 
tion, and the garment of praise! He bears me 
continually; keeps me as the apple of his eye* 
gives me strength according to my day; magnifies 
his strength in my weakness; and thoroughly 
furnishes me for every good word and work! I 
would proclaim his goodness upon the house- 
top: I would give thanks in the great congrega- 
tion.' 5 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 91 

It is with pleasure she observes the blessing of 
God upon her endeavors, to prevail upon the two 
young ladies, Miss Jennings and Miss Allen; part 
of whose house she occupied, to attend the means 
of grace. She says, u My dear *Miss Jennings 
and Miss Allen seem now longing for nothing but 
Jesus, they love to have me with them. Instead 
of refusing, they now beseech me to meet in their 
room to pray with them. With their little faith 
it was a bold thing in them to take me in! -■ The 
Lord would have it so, and I believe they will be 
blessed! Miss Allen is a most amiable girl; twen- 
ty years of age. I love her as my own soul; and 
she asks my advice in every thing. If she leave 
business and this town she will be amongst gay 
people: and she trembles at the thought. She 
tells me, she 'will abide where I abide; my God 
shall be her God, and my people her people!' I 
can do nothing for her; but my God can do every 
thing! My habitation is now become pleasant 
indeed: surely none had ever a more delightful 
one: it is a Bethel! Hetty Colesf has written 
complaining of my silence, and at her mamma's 
desire I have answered it." 

She remarks that many under distress came to 
her for instruction and advice, H direct them 
all,' 1 says she, "to Jesus, bid him tell him all their 
troubles, and pour out their hearts before him! I 
tell them, c his blood cleanseth from all sin; he 



♦These two happy converts of the deceased went out of the 
world trusting in Jesus; and have been enjoying the blessedness 
of true believers, in glory, some years. 

fAn amiable niece of the deceased, to whom her correspondence 
and conversation was greatly blessed, and who likewise went to 
glory before her. 



52 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

receives all who come to him: that he is a God 
at hand, and not afar oft; 5 that I can do nothing, 
for them; that vain is the help of man." 

What most of all afforded her pleasure, was 
the advancement she perceived Mr. Clark was 
making in the same divine life. She says, "some 
of my sweetest moments are with my dear cou- 
sin Clark. The Lord is with us; and we are hap- 
py together. I am more and more of opinion 
that he will be called out to preach: the scrip- 
tures are opened unto him in so wonderful a 
manner, and he is so simple hearted! He knows 
nothing of the names and sects among us. I have 
asked him, c if his heart did not burn to preach 
Christ? He confessed it did, and he was only 
waiting to know the Lord's will! I asked him, 
if he should choose the church of England, or to 
4 go forth into the highways and hedges ?' He said 
which ever the Lord should see fit for him; or to 
be a dissenting minister, if it were most for the 
glory of God!' The riches and honors of this 
world are nothing to him! 'Till last night I was 
fearful he did heap up treasures upon earth; be- 
cause he is so reserved, and never lets one know 
that he gives any thing away: but was obliged to 
confess his poverty to me, not having enough to 
pay for the 'Lives of the Martyrs,' which he has 
ordered for us; for we have all these things in 
common. The family thinks he has saved a great 
deal of money; his father haying taken him into 
partnership. 

"Please to let Mr. Evans see this letter, and beg 
him to come over and see us. I have lent Miss 
Jennings my chamber, but no matter, we can ac- 



MBS. JOANNA TURNER. 93 

commodate him with a bed rather than he shall 
go home after preaching late. 

How shall 1 express my gratitude to my dear 
cousin Mary when I look round about me and see 
my new furniture, and consider how handsome, 
yet how free of expense to me? My heart glows 
with gratitude to the author of my bounties; and 
fervent petitions that showers of blessings, spirit- 
ual and temporal, may be poured down on the 
dear instrument of helping me to these good 
things!" 

And now we see this honored handmaid of the 
Lord an housekeeper, with the small income of 
the interest of five hundred pounds: and the Lord 
gave her faith to believe, that, with this small 
pittance, and the money she could earn by plain 
work, she should be able to support herself, do 
something for the church of God; and once a 
week, at least, assist a»poor sister with a dinner. 

She begins by inviting her gay friends to her 
house-warming, boldly telling them they must 
expect spiritual fare with their temporal, as may 
be gathered from the following letter: — 
'My dear friend, 

"I have invited all my friends and relations to 
my house-warming, and they are all exceedingly 
diverted at the thought! I have given them a bill 
of fare, which they want to alter to something 
more agreeable to their own taste. They will 
not come if my poor friends are with me; it will 
look so much like a Methodist meeting! But when 
Mr. Evans, or a preacher from Bath calls upon 
me, then L will give them an invitation. This to 
me appears most prudent, and the Lord's time is 
best. 



94 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

"You must think I am a wonder unto many. — 
Some mock and deride, and call me pharisee, and 
bid me read the fifth of Matthew, and tell me, £ I 
do it all to be seen of men.' Sunday morning I 
was at church. The preacher attacked us from 
the pulpit, and accused us with 'stunning them 
with the name of Jesus,' that name which is above 
every name! But the more they bid me hold my 
peace, the more exceedingly will I cry out!" 

As the blacksmith's house was now too small 
for the congregation, which increased greatly, 
our friend began to look out for another, that 
might serve both for her dwelling, and for the 
assembling of the people for religious worship. 
And a friend offering her a piece of garden-ground 
to build on, if she would find money, she hesita- 
ted not to sink into the principal of her little for- 
tune, in order to erect a building commodious for 
the service of the sanctuary. Meanwhile she 
meets with a cottage that would serve both pur- 
poses, till the building should be finished; and 
quits Miss Jennings's apartment for it: as may be 
seen by the following letter to her beloved rela- 
tive Miss E. J n. 

"Oh my dear cousin, where shall I begin the 
never ending praises of my God! He doth so 
bless me, so provide for the unw r orthiest, the most 
helpless of his creatures! I am a worm, but God 
is love, and nothing but love! Glory be to his 
name, the Gospel standard is lifted up in my 
house: The Captain of our salvation is strong: 
He receives the outcasts; c all that are discontent- 
ed, all that are in debt and have nothing to pay; 
all that are distressed, all that will come.' 1 Sam. 
xxii. 2. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 95 

"The Lord hath wrought wonders for us, smit- 
ten rocks: I have an habitation of his providing, 
my father's gift, a good one, a bethel: A little 
mean cottage many would think it: but it is a glo- 
rious place! Jesus fills the house with his pre- 
sence: it is in the middle of the town: a good situ- 
ation; a fresh neighborhood: none dare molest us; 
all at peace, all obliging: give but four guineas a 
year, and have a room at the top, an upper cham- 
ber, a church, that will hold above an hundred 
people; a fire-place and all convenient; and I have 
furnished it with long benches; we have had 
blessed meetings in it! The floor and stair-case 
are much worn and shattered; but he that holdeth 
up the heavens and the earth can preserve us; to 
him I would look, and not to mouldering decay- 
ing tabernacles. 

"I was directed to this house in a remarkable 
manner, knew not where to go, till a few days be- 
fore the quarter was up; nor indeed, till then, did 
I see myself called to act; I thought of this place, 
and immediately sent a friend whom I teach to 
read, while eating my breakfast, to know if it 
were inhabited. He brought me word, "only by 
bnrlers* in the garret, and the owner would not 
let it. 5 I waited upon the gentleman, as soon as 
breakfast was finished, and came home so struck 
at the goodness of my God! A fine polite gen- 
tleman, but so civil to me! He told me I should 
have it, and he would endeavour to put his work 
out, while I was in the house; for 1 told him, I 
believed it would not be long ere I could suit my- 



F Wo.-^n employed in the clothing manufactory, 



96 LIFE AND DEATH OV 

self in a still more agreeable place! I begged 
him not to put himself to any expense, 1 would 
take it as it was. But, indeed, he has, unknown 
to me, put himself to more expense than I shall 
pay him rent for. It joins to his dwelling house; 
I told him I should be a noisy neighbour, and all 
about the meetings; and invited him, his family, 
&c. &c. 

"I have been at no expense. 1 find where it is 
not given it is not required. When, my dear 
cousin, will you and your dear sister, come and 
visit my little, sweet, delightful cottage? I have 
all things to enjoy! No garden, and therefore 
not the expense of one; can view my neighbor's 
when I please; have no estate, no field, but from 
a little window can see delightful fields and mea- 
dows that my heavenly Father has given to others 
for their portion, and I will adore him because he 
has given himself to me for my portion, 4 my be- 
loved is mine, and I am his:' can say no more; 
have a house full of friends from Bradford come 
to keep holiday, all young, and I trust, saying, 
'We would see Jesus! 5 Jesus be with you con- 
tinually, is the prayer of 

i Your unworthy friend, 

J. Cook. 

As our friend could get no preaching in her own 
house on Lord's days, she was not ashamed to 
take a bit of bread in her pocket, and w r alk, with 
her poor neighbors, from village to village, to 
hear the Gospel in the establishment, and between 
the services of the church, sit down on a bank 
by the side of a brook, in the road; drinking of 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 97 

the purling stream, and eating their bread with 
joy and singleness of heart, praising the Lord. 

Thus conscientious and faithful in small things,as 
well as great, our dear friend walked continually 
in the presence of God, as did Abraham; or like 
Moses, who "refused to be called the son of Pha- 
roah's daughter; choosing rather to suffer afflic- 
tion with the people of God, than to enjoy the 
pleasures of sin for a season, esteeming the re- 
proach of Christ greater riches than the trea- 
sures of Egypt, for he had respect unto the re- 
compense of reward." The dear deceased had 
also respect unto the recompense of reward 
which none but God can give; for it is only by 
'acknowledging him in all our ways,' that we can 
expect, 'he will direct our paths. 5 And, in time, 
she experienced the fulfilment of the promise, 
'Whoso honoureth me, I will honour;' For the 
church of God, abundantly prospered in the up- 
per chamber she had dedicated to public wor- 
ship, so that she was soon obliged to quit her little 
cottage as a dwelling house, being obliged to prop 
the beams of the upper floor, they proving too 
weak for the weight of the people who usually 
assembled. 

The inconvenience attending this increasing 
congregation, was the occasion of her removal 

once more to Miss J n's at Bristol. During 

her residence with that valuable relation, she ac- 
complished the design she had previously formed? 
of building a house with a room for the more 
convenient accommodation of the increasing num- 
ber of people who heard the word gladly; to ef- 



98 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

feet which she sank near sixty pounds of her 
small fortune. 

This work of faith and labour of love did not 
go unrewarded. For soon after she began to 
build, the Lord put it into the heart of Mr. Tur- 
ner to make her proposals of marriage, which 
she took one vear to consider of, and know the 
will of God concerning it. 

And here it may be no unprofitable digression, 
to give the pious reader a specimen of the Lord's 
teachings, and her faithfulness to what she thought 
the will of God concerning this marriage, from a 
journal found among her papers. 

"Sunday night. This evening, I was exceed- 
ingly struck with T. T« 's proposals of mar- 
riage. For a considerable time I have thought I 
should be permitted to live single. My Maker is 
my husband, but may his will be done! Found 
great liberty and freedom to speak to him about 
spiritual things. The Lord is wonderfully with 
him; I do not know a more amiable Christian! I 
see I have nothing to do, but to wait upon my con- 
descending heavenly Father, to reveal his will to 
me, for I have none of my own! He hath made 
me vVilling to submit to him, in the day of his 
power. 

"Monday evening. This has been a blessed 
day, had much communioa with God; He will be 
with me and bless me, but I know not in what 
way! The important affair, is much on my mind, 
hut it does not distress or disturb my peace; for 
I find a sweet looking unto Jesus for all. La9t 
night, at our parting, how earnestly did my dear 
friend pray unto the Lord, that we might be en- 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 99 

tirely devoted to him; be lively in his service, 
yea be a living sacrifice. 

"The chief argument he used to me, was, he 
saw it his duty to be settled in life, that he 
might promote the glory of God, by espousing 
his cause to his utmost ability. That deadness 
among my married friends, does not discourage 
me. If the Lord call me to this way of life, he 
will bless it; and I may keep up the same meet- 
ings, and be more useful; as I shall have more ta- 
lents committed to my charge. Friends will be 
alarmed: but will it not be for the glory of God, 
for me to be, as it were, an example of Chris- 
tians, to choose a child of God, an heir of glory, 
though he has but little of this world's goods? If 
it be my heavenly Father's choice, it will be bet- 
ter for me than a more exalted station: His will 
be done! I shall partake of the Gospel feast 
still, never, never shall be cast off! The Lord 
will, I am assured, in his own time, which is the 
best, the right time, speak, and his servant shall 
hear, will with a stilly small voice say 'This is 
the way, walk in it.' 

"I never was calmer, easier or happier! The 
Lord is with me of a truth: We had a sweet 
meeting for singing, the Lord was present. Oh, 
how doth he condescend to bless his worthless 
creature! He gave me remarkable courage in 
reproving a dear friend, for speaking against re- 
ligious zeal and frequent meetings; and afterwards 
I was tempted, as usual, to think I had done 
wrong; but those words came exceedingly sweet 
to me, 'Is any merry,' among you, 'let him sing 
Psalms;' and again, 'You shall reprove even 
kings for my sake.' 



100 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

"April the seventeenth, 1765. O, what things 
what wonderful things, have I heard and seen to- 
day! Blessed Spirit, help me to relate. Surely, 
the Lord hath appeared to a poor worm. This 
morning I fell on my face before the Lord, desi- 
ring clearer views of Christ, who he was, and 
what he had done, breathed out my soul to him, 
and surely, it was from the abundant manifesta- 
tions of his love thereto! It came upon my mind, 
'the Lord's communing with Abraham. 5 I beg- 
ged, if it were his blessed will, he would permit 
his vile dust and ashes, to ask concerning the 
change of her condition. A child asks the con- 
sent of her Father; and I ask, rejoicing that my 
heavenly Father knoweth all things. I begged 
that he would, in his own good time, reveal his 
w r ill concerning it, if it were for his glory: but if 
not, and that my face must be covered, I be- 
sought that I might not be permitted to take a 
wrong step; I desired to choose nothing for my- 
self." 

As soon as her house was finished, she return- 
ed, and resumed her kind offices to the poor, the 
sick, the afflicted, and the church of God at 
Trowbridge, to whom she was a spiritual nursing 
mother, in providing ministers to break the bread 
of life to their souls. And after she had posses- 
sed her new habitation near a year; in which time 
she had duly considered Mr. Turner's proposals, 
and thought them to be from the Lord; and meet- 
ing likewise with the general approbation of her 
friends and relations, she accepted him, and the 
marriage was solemnized, on the 9th of Feb. 
1766, with a mutual affection, that death itself 
could not dissolve. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. J01 

I can now no longer describe Miss Cook, and 
it may be thought by some, to be a difficult task, 
to represent Mrs. Turner, as the chief subject of 
the sequel of these memoirs, without detracting 
from Mr. Turner's worth: but it must be observ- 
ed, that her pious zeal was no small excellence 
in Mr. Turner's eyes; and that, in the union he 
formed with her, he had not the least desire to 
quench it; but rather was concerned to cherish 
and promote it. 

There was a reverse in the complexion of the 
happy pair, whereby they were mutually useful 
to each other: and mutually, according to their 
respective abilities, laid themselves out for the 
glory of God and the good of his church. And 
so strong are the affections of the mournful sur- 
vivor to the memory of his deceased consort, 
that I am persuaded, though perhaps he may be 
somewhat displeased by an apology on the pre- 
sent occasion, he can never see these memoirs in 
a light too strong, or too expressive of the worth 
and excellency of her whom his soul loved. 

I therefore proceed to observe, that as soon 
after the solemnization of their marriage as was 
convenient, she quitted her own habitation, ap- 
propriating it solely to the worship of God, 
where, after the agreeable revolution on her part, 
she had the additional pleasure, of seeing a con- 
tinued succession of precious souls, brought to a 
saving acquaintance with the Lord Jesus Christ. 

The new relation required attention to the du- 
ties peculiar to it: which she entered upon and 
filled up with the greatest ease and affability, 
supporting a vein of spirituality as strong as ever. 



102 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

Mr. Turner having just now opened a large shop, 
she perceived it was her duty to add to her small 
fortune, by taking such a part in his business as 
she was capable of: and a little practice, with her 
abilities soon made her service very considera- 
ble. For ten years, she was a laborious shop- 
woman, besides keeping the books, and attending 
to the business of the counting house; which she 
did, with a punctuality and exactness as well as 
dispatch, that would do honor to any clerk in the 
kingdom. 

How contrary, in this part of her character, 
doth she appear, to many of our sex, who, with 
a small fortune bring to their husbands a great 
burthen; and by their idle visits, received and 
paid, waste that time, which God and their fami- 
lies have a just claim to! But Mrs. Turner gave 
up only her hands to the world: Her heart, 
was still as devoted to God and his service as 
ever. And even her new connexion and employ- 
ment of life was improved to the glory of God, 
and the good of her soul, and the soul of him to 
whom she was now united in double ties: as may 
be seen by her letters, and especially by the fol- 
lowing extract from a journal, written six months 
after her marriage. 

"August the twelfth, 1 766. According to cus- 
tom, in my husbands absence, looking over his 
books and papers^ I find the order, the regulari- 
ty and method he makes use of, a great blessing 
to my soul. Who am I, to be so highly favored, 
to be united, to be made one with so dear a child 
of God! The gift leads me to the giver: O my 
God, how great thy goodness to me: Thon hast 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 103 

opened my blind eyes, thou hast convinced me of 
sin, and of a Saviour's righteousness! Lord, they 
are great things thou hast done for me: ten thou- 
sand thanks be to thee, thou adorable God! What 
could move thee to it? Methinks, I am lost in 
wonder, love, and praise! I can say, Lord, thou 
knowest all things, thou knovvest I would love 
thee! My soul, at seasons, longs after this more 
than the panting hart for the water-brooks! Oh 
that I knew more of thee; that thou wouldst ma- 
nifest thyself to me more than ever! I want to 
know nothing but Jesus Christ and him crucified, 
the chiefest among ten thousand. 

"A glimpse of my dear Lord: of his amazing 
love, his wonderful condescension, long-suffering 
and forbearance; makes me worship, wonder and 
adore! But still I sin against him, am ungrateful 
and unkind! Forbid it, dearest Lord, thou only 
canst forbid it to purpose, that ever I should so 
offend again! O that, from this day, I might be 
entirely devoted to thee: my heart more warmed 
with thy love, more lively in thy service and wor- 
ship, thy cause, thy people and thy interest, 
nearer to me, more dear, than ever. 

"Lord, I cannot live unless thou permittest me 
to love thee: take away this coldness, this unfeel- 
ingness, and give me a heart glowing with love: 
remove prejudice against any of thy dear people, 
of any denomination; and may I love them be- 
cause they are thy people; and not because they 
are amiable, lovely, or adorned with gifts! Lord, 
1 am a witness thou receivest the vilest, the most 
unlovely, fori obtained mercy! Every thing re- 
minds me of the amazing goodness of my God, 



104 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

and of my own ingratitude and unkindness! Lord, 
how canst thou put up with such behaviour from 
me, and bless me still in such a manner, in my 
goings out and comings in, in my rising up and 
lying down. 

" Lord thou hast withheld no good thing! Since 
the day, the happy day thou didst call me to come 
up to thy work, to the repairing of thy house; 
how hast thou multiplied and increased my goods! 
Before that time, it was all vanity, all vexation, 
all disappointment, nothing answered my expect- 
ation, 'death was in the pot, 5 All was embitter- 
ed! I wanted to enjoy earthly things; but they 
were airy phantoms; shadows I could never 
grasp! It is wonderful that ever the Lord should 
look upon such a wretch, in such a wretched 
state, and bless her, and give her the desire of 
her heart, and make her the happiest of mortals, 
all this, and heaven too. 

"Sing my dear husband, my pleasant com- 
panion, my partner for life, sing praises to the 
Lor&J Whoso favoured, w r ho so blessed, so in- 
dulged, so dandled on the knee of our heavenly 
Father, as we! I have but this one thing to de- 
sire of the Lord, that I may see him all the days 
of my life, and dwell with him for ever! And 
you, my dear companion, are included in every 
wish of my heart: Whatever I want for myself, 
I beg the same for thee: Our gracious God, hath 
united us in and for himself, and none, men nor 
devils can put us asunder, for ever and for ever! 

" 'The Lord Jehovah reigneth God over all, 
blessed for evermore.' Oh let our right hands 
forget their cunning, our tongue cleave to the roof 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 105 

of our mouth, if we ever forget to speak of the 
goodness of the Lord in the land of the living: O 
my God, what great things hast thou done for me, 
in temporals, this last year: and dost, adored be 
thy goodness, add thy blessing to our increase, 
make all blessings to our souls: Thou hast taught 
me both how to be abased, and how to abound; 
and in every state, therewith to be content. 

"Praised be the Lord, he spreads our table in 
the sight of our enemies! Blessed be his name, 
who hath separated and made us come out from 
among them: and is become our Father, and made 
us his son, and his daughter! But, if he be our 
Father, (and indeed, he is,) then, where is our 
obedience? Oh my leanness, my leanness! me- 
thinks, I long to obey and love as angels do above: 
and yet come so dreadfully short, that in every 
thing I sin: O that I hated sin! O that I loved 
holiness more; were more like my dear incarnate 
God, more transformed into his likeness, had his 
image more plainly stamped upon my soul! 'Lord 
thou canst work, and none shall let, let it be unto 
thy servant, according to thy word, on which thou 
hast caused me to hope.' 

"O the numberless mercies of this last year: 
pardon, my dearest Lord, pardon my numerous 
sins: wash me in thy blood, clothe me with thy 
righteousness, and sanctify me with thy Spirit: 
Bind me to the horns of the altar, to Jesus: may 
my ears, both ears, be bored to his delightful 
service: And do thou make me a faithful, kind, 
and affectionate wife, to the best of husbands: 
when he rejoices may I rejoice with him, and in- 
crease his joy in the Lord; and when he mourns 3 
5* 



1C6 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

mourns for his sins, for the withdrawing of his 
God; we will lie at the feet of Jesus together, 
and not let him go until he bless us! Amen." 

Mrs. Turner took care, likewise, that her new 
duties and occupations in life should not render 
her less useful in the cause of God, or less devo- 
ted to the service of precious souls; by having 
this maxim of the wise man, at all times, for her 
rule, 'Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it 
with all thy might. 5 She let no moment or op- 
portunity slip, that might be employed for the 
glory of God, or the good of her neighbor: and 
so, by using every moment to the best purposes, 
she found time for the discharge of every duty, 
the Lord in his providence called her to. And it 
can scarcely be conceived, by persons unacquaint- 
ed with this highly favoured handmaid of the 
Lord, how exemplarily she filled up her public 
station: how suited in her address, to persons of 
every class in life; and how careful she was to 
watch for the season in which the word might be 
fitly spoken that respected eternal things: in 
which she knew every soul was deeply interested, 
though few had love enough for their own souta 
to be careful about them. 

Few came to her shop without having a word 
of advice, comfort, or encouragement in the way 
of peace: and if they would not take her advice, 
or treated her with contempt, she would bear pa- 
tiently with their ill treatment; like her divine ex- 
amplar, saying, 'Father, forgive them, for they 
know not what they do:' And she did not shew her 
iove to poor sinners in word only, but in deed also. 
For great acts of kindness, with much temporal 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 107 

loss to herself, has she voluntarily offered her ene- 
mies, persecutors and slanderers; and has often 
taken long and tiresome walks, and expensive 
journeys, for the good of individuals: as well as 
the great expense of money, pain and trouble, 
she and her valuable pious partner have been at, 
for the prosperity of different churches; and for 
the propagating the gospel in the various places 
about the country, where there was scarcely the 
least appearance of spiritual religion to be found. 
It is said, 'the integrity of the upright shall 
guide them:' and Mrs. Turner's integrity to God 
in not spending precious time unprofitably; and 
faithfulness to her fellow creatures, in taking ev 
ery opportunity to counsel them for their good, 
guided her into the most easy and expeditious 
methods of trade imaginable. For those who 
liked her religious conversation, gave her the 
worth of her goods without using unnecessary 
words; and those w-ho did not relish spiritual 
things, but liked her temporals, took the goods 
off her hands as soon as possible, in order to be 
out of the hearing of her good advice. And 
when tradesmen came to shew their patterns of 
printed linens, &c. in order to save precious time, 
and be free of the sin of using idle or unnecessa- 
ry words, she chose the first pattern that struck 
her eye; if the cloth, &c. were good and proper: 
and generally found those linens were most 
pleasing to her customers, the Lord not permit- 
ting her pure motives to be attended with loss. 
And many have dealt at her shop on account of 
the privilege of spiritual conversation, who will 
have reason to praise the Lord, through the end- 



108 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

less ages of eternity, that he inclined their hearts, 
to go thither. If a stranger sent to her shop, she 
would generally send a letter with her bill of 
parcels, relating to the best things; a specimen of 
which I have before me, sent to a lady of my ac- 
quaintance, bearing date, June 24, 1768. 

"We are extremely obliged to you, dear Mrs., 

G n, for your kind favour: In return, what 

shall we, what can we wish you, but 'spiritual 
blessings in heavenly places in Christ Jesus? 5 — 
May your soul be quickened and made alive to 
God; and may the life you now live, be by the 
faith of the Son of God! Time, with all its tri- 
fling concerns, is passing away quicker than we 
can express it. This body, we shall soon drop 
in the grave; the soul will exist for ever, in hap- 
piness inexpressible, inconceivable: or unuttera- 
ble misery, without remedy, without hope, with- 
out end. 

"All must appear before the judgment seat of 
Christ: and how guilty, how condemned, how 
must every mouth be stopped, when we consider 
the strictness, the spirituality of the law, the om- 
niscience of the Judge, and the faithfulness of 
the witness! Conscience will then say guilty, 
verily guilty! The law requires truth in the in- 
ward parts; and our hearts are deceitful above all 
things: The law requires us to love God with all 
our hearts, and soul, and strength; A curse is 
pronounced upon those, 'who continue not in all 
things written in the book of the law to do them!' 

"What shall we then do? Whither shall we 
go for help but to Jesus Christ? who came 'to 
seek and to save them that are lost. 5 He saves 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 109 

to the uttermost all who see their want, and desire 
help and healing from Him. If you are wretch- 
ed and miserable, and find all the pleasures and 
gaieties that can be invented cannot relieve you, 
you experience, what I have experienced before 
you. Disappointment from the creatures, and 
distress in looking to them, drove me to my God. 
Adored be his goodness, He has graciously re- 
lieved, blessed, and made me happy in himself as 
the only good. My dear madam, fie has more 
than one blessing to bestow. Venture upon him 
just as you are, guilty and weak: He will do ev- 
ery thing for you. 

"Happy shall I be to see you at Trowbridge, 
and describe this lovely Saviour to you. I have 
written these lines in haste, it being market day, 
and I am busy in my shop. Pardon the freedom 
of a poor stranger, who by the grace of God is 
made a lover of souls, and desires to approve 
herself their faithful servant in Jesus, and par- 
ticularly, dear madam, 
"Yours, 

"Joanna Turner. 51 
"141b. Sugar, 6s." 



All her company, whether in the shop, kitchen 
or parlour, were generally treated with the same 
spiritual entertainment, not to the exclusion of 
temporal refreshment — for the poor and needy, 
the pilgrim and the stranger, were often made 
welcome to such provision as her house afforded; 
where after she married, there was a sufficiency, 
but not before. For oftentimes, when a house- 
keeper in her single state, she went fasting the 



110 LIFE AttD DEATH 0* 

chief part of a day, and lived on bread and wa* 
ter many days, in or to supply the wants of some 
poor Christians. But now, being blessed with a 
husband of the same mind with herself, a devi- 
ser of liberal things; who not only rose early, and 
late took rest, to gain a sufficiency for the sup* 
port of God's house and poor, but was equally 
willing with herself, to bestow the fruits of his 
care and industry; having a heart as much devo- 
ted to the cause of God, and consequently, has an 
equal title to the esteem and admiration of every 
discerning Christian, as his dear wife had; though 
his part of the work w ? as more laborious, and 
less refreshing to the soul; but thus, fellow-labor- 
ers together in the Lord's vineyard, as well as 
true yoke-fellows in the marriage-union; with 
hands and hearts united in the glorious cause of 
Christ, they found a sufficiency, as I said before, 
of simple, wholesome food, dressed in a plain 
way, and sent to table in a decent comfortable 
manner. Not garnished or set off with unneces- 
sary trouble or expense, for they aimed to be 
uniform throughout, in their dress, conversation, 
table and furniture. All was sufficient for the 
end designed, but not superfluous; all was neat, 
decent, clean and comfortable, but not extrava- 
gant. 

And the Lord so ordered and blessed her spir- 
itual conversation, behaviour, and hospitality to 
strangers and pilgrims, that she has been the hono- 
red instrument of many conversions in this way. 
And not a few, who, at first, slighted and hated her 
discourse, seeing, in a course of years, that her 
godly conversation was coupled with a becoming 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. lit 

demeanour towards God and man, have since, at 
much courted her conversation, as they, at first, 
both hated and despised it. 

The first year of their marriage produced a re- 
markable trial of faith and patience, as they suf- 
fered a considerable loss; their house being blown 
up with gun-powder by the carelessness of a ser- 
vant boy, who was burnt to death by it. But 
they had reason to sing of mercy as well as judg- 
ment: for just before the explosion, having bolted 
their doors and windows and extinguished their 
fires to prepare for bed, they were going into a 
room, where their lives would have been in im- 
minent danger, but an unusual noise in the streets 
prevented. A woman of ill-fame was met with 
by some of the principal inhabitants of the town, 
who were patroling the streets that night, being 
threatened with the ravages of an outrageous mob 
on account of the high price of bread, and as they 
were dragging her to the house of correction, she 
made such an uncommon noise with her shrieks 
and cries, as happily drew their attention and de- 
tained them below stairs. That moment the pow- 
der took fire, the pannels fell from the wainscots 
— their candle was blown down and extinguish- 
ed — the bars and bolts of their windows and doors 
flew out, and made way for their instant escape 
into the street, to inquire into the occasion of 
the noise, not knowing it was their own house 
solely, but imagining the whole town to be blown 
up by the rioters. Notwithstanding the tile and 
glass flew thick about them, they received no 
hurt to their persons, and many of their neighbors 
being providentially collected near the door, im- 



112 LIFE AND DfiA^fl OP 

mediate assistance was given. And a curtain lead 
flying from their window through that of an op- 
posite house, where the keeper of the fire-engine 
slept, awakened him, so that he was quickly 
ready with the engine, and the fire was soon ex- 
tinguished. 

The house which they rented, was much inju- 
red; but the furniture escaped beyond expecta- 
tion. Their shop goods were not so much dama- 
ged as might have been expected, or would have 
certainly been the case, had not providence so 
ordered it, that those things that were buried in 
the rubbish that fell through the house, were, in 
general, such as were well secured with paper, 
&c. The drawers in the shop were but half 
shook out of their places, and nothing materially 
damaged but a quantity of salt, which was bought 
off in a day or two, for salting hay, it being a 
wet *season for the latter crop, so that they had 
great cause to sing of the loving kindness of the 
Lord, who had preserved their lives. And though 
great inconvenience, and some loss resulted from 
the alarming event; yet they were followed by 
such suitable mercies as excited their attention, 
prevented murmuring, and disposed them to gra- 
titude; as will be seen in an extract from a letter 
to Miss B n on the occasion — 

"Praise the Lord, my friend! Praise him, O 



♦The compiler of these Memoirs thinks it may be useful to 
note here, that she was well acquainted with a farmer, who made 
use of this experiment of sprinkling salt over every laying of hay, 
as they made a stack of hay that had been greatly damaged bv 
successive rains; but being seasoned in this manner, he found it 
prove very palatable and profitable to his sheep, the succeeding 
•pring. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 113 

my soul; Ye holy church throughout the world, 
acknowledge him your God; All the praises of 
earth and heaven, of saints and angels — 

— "All are too mean to speak his worth, 
Too mean to set our Jesus forth!'' 

God '13 love, nothing but love; in every dispensa- 
tion of his providence the same; He has given us, 
himself; Blessed be his holy name, our cup is full, 
runneth over; C A11 are ours!' Losses, crosses, dis- 
pensed tenderly and in love, like as a father pi- 
tieth his own children — These are our greatest 
blessings; The world calls them afflictions; but 
I praise him for what he has taken, a little of our 
stuff; that, our hearts were not set upon, and if it 
be for his glory for us to be deprived of it in this 
awful affecting way, his will be done; C A11 is 
weir all for good; and I must lie at his dear feet, 
and adore him for all. 

"Oh my friend, this providence has been so 
sweetened, the everlasting arms underneath us, 
I know I felt them. Who would not wish for his 
consolations to abound, as he has promised and I 
have found them, in this season of affliction. Is 
there such enjoyment in a fulness of creature 
comforts, as in one moment's communion with 
God? If I were stripped of all below, with all 
this peace and heaven too; methinks I could smile, 
because Jesus is mine, and I am his, yea, if all 
nature were dissolving: 'I wait all my appointed 
time till my change come,' but wish not for it: His 
will be done, who doth all things well: He loveth 
at all times: And there is no adversity in his pre- 
sence, but a fulness of joy; Praised and adored 
be his name: I speak that I know: Tell the peo- 



114 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

pie of his doings, my dear* lift up your voice like 
a trumpet — the Lord he is God, the Lord he is 
God. 

" It has made a deep impression: yet I cannot 
view it but as the loving kindness of the Lord: 
Everything of a distressing nature seems hid from 
my sight: My and my dear husband's life seems 
as given us anew; O that we may be made new 
creatures: Surely, we are spared for the glory of 
our God? and the sparing of our lives was more 
to his praise, at present speaking after the manner 
of men, than the destruction of them would have 
been: The enemies might have shot out their lips 
and reproached us, as they did our blessed Re- 
deemer, saying, 'He trusted in God that he 
would deliver him' : And many of the dear peo- 
ple of God might have been stumbled at it. 

" We have passed through the fire and it has 
not hurt us, not a hair of our heads has been 
singed;" our stuff preserved in as wonderful a 
manner; for c He careth for us ;' We stood still, 
and his arm brought deliverance: and a great de- 
liverance it is in the sight of the heathen, the 
heathen tell of his doings; and ascribe to his 
providence, our preservation. 55 

But after this wonderful preservation of life and 
property, the Lord was pleased to try their faith 
and patience a little further: having first prepared 
them for the stroke by the rich cordials of his pe- 
culiar manifeslation and abundant consolations, 
for the incessant heavy rains which fell while the 
house was partly uncovered by the explosion prov- 
ed more pernicious to their goods, than the fire: 
as they were obliged to move them from place to 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 115 

place out of the wet. And then her strong faith 
began to stagger a little, and she thought, i if the 
Lord be not displeased with us, why doth he con- 
tinue to smite us with stroke upon stroke?' Yet 
*he was enabled still to determine, with Job, to 
'trust in him though he should slay her: 1 and she 
said to herself u perhaps, we are set up as an 
example of suffering and of patience, like Job: 
and if so, if others are to be benefitted by our 
sufferings, his will, in all things, be done." 

As a further trial of their faith and patience 
the Lord permitted, in his providence, that they 
should rather go backward than forward, in 
worldly things, for two or three years, but not 
in religious: for when they came to consider how 
they should retrieve their losses, they mutually 
determined to save from themselves, not from the 
cause of God, and therefore they applied more 
closely to business than ever; doing themselves, 
each, two or three people's work in the shop, by 
day; and after the servants were gone to bed, 
they sat up half the night, settling their accounts, 
&c. 

Having been thus tried for a while and found 
faithful, the Lord again blessed the labor of their 
hands: restored what they had lost, and increased 
what he had restored. Nothing, however, im- 
portant, of a secular nature, could divert the at- 
tention of our friend from the interest of Christ. 
With pleasure she saw the congregation continu- 
ally increase, and the work of grace increasing 
in many hearts. Mr. Clark continued devoted 
to God, and the preaching of the Gospel. His 
preaching was abundantly blessed to her soul, 






116 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

and to the increase of converts to Jesus: and the 
word of God did so prevail under his ministry, 
that the preaching house was overthronged. The 
prospect becoming so promising of a permanent 
work, our dear friend, with her husband, having 
been enabled of the Lord to purchase and fit up 
a convenient dwelling for themselves; indulged 
the idea of building a commodious place of wor- 
ship. They foresaw, by the late favourable turn 
given to their affairs, that if it should be neces- 
sary, they could with propriety take up money at 
interest for that purpose. 

They soon inquired after and had the offer of 
a piece of ground, and received the estimate of 
the building. But their pure motives for build- 
ing; their teachings from the word, spirit and 
providence of God; their trials, difficulties and 
the blessed success they met with in the work, 
will best be made manifest, by the following ex- 
tract from a journal on the occasion, dated 1770. 

"For some time past, more than a year, it has 
been much on my dear husband's heart and mine, 
to build an house for the Lord. We ourselves 
being in great prosperity, our own house finished 
comfortably and beyond our enlarged desires, 
blessed in our basket and our store; having gain- 
ed in trade, last year, enough to give us encour- 
agement, besides living in so comfortable a way; 
we considered, that as, in a few years, if the Lord 
be pleased to continue our health and trade, it 
would be made up again; it were best for us to 
devote a little more time and labour to the service 
of that God who gives us every thing, whose are 
we, and all that we have. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 117 

"In August, something likely offered; a proper 
spot of ground for size and situation; but there 
were difficulties to encounter which were soon 
overcome: the Lord making our way prosper- 
ous, and causing my husband, who is natural- 
ly timoious, to be quite courageous in the affair. 
Sometimes he strengthened his heart by anima- 
ting his spirits; and, at other times, by applying 
suitable words of scripture, just in the time of 
need. For not seeing how to act in regard to 
purchasing the ground, whether he should give 
the sum demanded, and crying to the Lord for 
direction, it came upon his mind to open the Bi- 
ble for a word of advice: which he did at the 1st 
Chronicles xxi. 24. 'And king David said to Or- 
nan, nay, but I will verily buy it for the full price: 
for I will not take that which is thine for the 
Lord, nor offer burnt offerings without cost. 5 This 
was an encouraging word, a light to our feet: and 
in faith, the same day, we made the purchase. 

"We cannot think of begging for this sacred 
work, as it is a custom odious to us; nor do we 
see it right to refuse the free-will offerings of our 
brethren, in any measure, that the Lord may in- 
cline them. Before we laid the foundation, Mrs. 
J n, of Castle street, Bristol, gave my hus- 
band a guinea towards it; which seemed an en- 
couragement from the Lord to proceed. 

"The foundation was laid Oct. 25, 1770, by 
my husband, and two other friends. At first, the 
brethren did not seem to feel much concerned to 
help in the Lord's building. By this, we saw it 
was our happy privilege; and very frequently, 
with adoration, cried, why we, Lord, why we: 



118 MFE AND DEATH OF 

but thought it our duty to acquaint the church, 
when assembled at the Lord's table, what he had 
done, and what we were about to do; and begged 
their prayers: The Lord was pleased to smile 
upon us: and then, our love and fellowship was 
great: and constant prayer has been made for the 
prosperity of the work, by every individual, I 
believe, from that time. 

"Our honoured minister is much blessed, en- 
couraged, and strengthened, by that zeal and love 
the Lord is pleased to bestow upon us. 

"Tobias and Sanballet, the devil, the world, 
and the flesh, will endeavour to obstruct the work; 
but, in the name and strength of Jesus we fight 
and build: Some little alterations from the first 
plan, unforeseen things, perplexed two or three 
times, by which we burdened ourselves: but all 
was for good: brought it all to the first plan again: 
which I cannot but admire, and see, by it, that 
they are only our deviations from the divine con- 
duct that bring sorrow. My soul was fixed trust- 
ing in the Lord, for the comeliness, conveniency 
and beauty of the place! My eye is single to 
please him whom my soul loveth; and in a mea- 
sure, I had light to see it would be so: and he 
would make it to please others without our aiming 
at it! But as it is, blessed be the Lord! my duty 
to please my husband; it is my delight to have 
him pleased: so I acquiesce in this w 7 ork with 
whatever he desires, unless I think it contrary to 
the glory or command of God, 

"My beloved sister in the Lord, dear Miss E, 

J n of Bristol, who is highly favoured with 

great nearness to him, encourages much in the 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 119 

work, — in speaking encourages; and, I am assu- 
red, in praying for it; and gave my husband five 
guineas towards it. Ebenezer — hitherto the Lord 
hath helped us! and blessed be his name, we have 
not been in the least discouraged ever since we 
began; but exceedingly strengthened, animated, 
and blessed! Many of our dear church have 
thrown in their mite into the treasury, at differ- 
ent times. 

"I am ashamed, abased, at my own unwortbi- 
ness and vileness! My manner of doing things is 
a constant thorn in the flesh; but, it only sinks me 
lower at his blessed feet! The Lord condescends 
to strengthen my faith in him, and my love to 
him, by an account of the manner of Mr. White- 
field's death: I long to imitate his most exempla- 
ry servants! But oh! how short my comings! 
yet the precious, precious u blood of Christ 
cleanseth from all sin!' 1 

"An unkind letter from a Christian friend at 
this time concerning the building, much distressed 
us: but having occasion to take a little medicine 
which confined me to my room, I desired and ex- 
pected the Lord's gracious presence, and, bles« 
sed be his name, he came; and sweetly overcame 
my fears, cares and all unbelief! I had such free- 
dom to pour out my soul, such spiritual desires 
as were truly delightful. 

"Jan. 1771. O the wonderful goodness of God! 
snrely, nothing is too hard for him! On taking 
stock, as is customary once a year, found such an 
increase as astonished my dear husband and me! 
We could scarcely believe for joy! We fell be- 
fore our dear Lord; adored, praised, and desired 



120 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

all might be devoted and given up to his sacred 
use and service! Saw with wonder the plain 
path of duty made for us, could not hesitate a mo- 
ment about our call to the sacred work! Oh the 
condescension of our God, to honor such insignifi- 
cant worms of the dust as we! And will God, 
in very deed, dwell with man: O, may others be 
stirred up to walk in faith. 

"I have paid my brethren at Bristol^ loving 
visit for twelve or thirteen days: and came home 
exceedingly strengthened and refreshed, and the 
dear people of God prospering here! 'All is well!' 
the preacher lively, the people loving, numbers 
attending: On the LordVday the house crowded: 
several desiring to be admitted into our church as 
members; so that, blessed be the Lord, c all things 
do work together for good :' I do believe his con- 
stant unchangeable love to us; and that 'blessing 
he will bless us, and multiplying he will multiply 
us! 5 I do believe I shall see greater things than 
these, hallelujah! praise the Lord." 

Before the opening the tabernacle she wrote to 
her friend, Miss B n, thus; 

"My dear sister, 

"By the good hand of our God upon us our 
tabernacle is almost finished. Next Monday No- 
vember, 20, we propose to open it. We invite 
the fathers, the elders and the heads of the tribes, 
as many as the Lord shall incline to come and help 
us dedicate it to him; and to in treat him to fill it 
with his presence, his glory, till time shall be no 
more. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 121 

u Tell our brethren who love our dear Lord 
Jesus; tell them, whether they come to partake 
with us or not, what things the Lord hath done 
for us, they are marvellous in our eyes! He hath 
pitched a tabernacle, he dwells among us: The 
spirit is greatly poured forth in convincing and 
converting! Come and see: In the first place, 
we respect and invite the preachers; the ambas- 
sadors of Christ among you; and then, as many 
others as the Lord shall incline." 

Mrs. Tnrner, by the hearty consent of her 
worthy husband, always kept the annual return 
of the twentieth of November, or the most con- 
venient day near it, holy to the Lord; in a fes- 
tive solemn manner; opening their tabernacle for 
public preaching, and providing a plain, but plen- 
tiful, entertainment for ministers and private 
Christians. On these occasions they have enter- 
tained twenty ministers, and two or three hun- 
dred people, in the course of the day. Several 
of the ministers usually divided the services of 
those days between them. By perusing the fol- 
lowing letter she wrote to me, some years after, 
the reader will see the purity of her views in 
calling her friends and neighbours together. 

"My beloved sister, 

"Come to us next Thursday, with your beloved 
pastor Mr. Sloper, Miss Savage, and as many 
other friends as shall be inclined to come: and 
when we are met together in one place and in one 
spirit, may the Holy Ghost be poured upon us! 
May we all be endued with power from on high, 
and be fresh anointed and sent forth, not to work 
6 



122 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

miracles, or to speak divers languages, but, to 
live to his praise, to be more conformed to 
Jesus, more unlike and separated from the 
world! Pray my beloved friend, oh, pray that 
the Lord himself may be with us! I think my 
soul desires this above all things; and that he 
may send by whom he will send; and divinely 
strengthen every dear faithful minister, and 
abundantly bless and strengthen all his spiritual 
worshippers, and give us all a little taste of 
heaven. 

"If your dear sister could come I should be 
thankful; but if not, surely, we shall remember 
her before the king, to send her a portion of the 
sweetest blessings: But, should we forget her, 
Jesus her Saviour never will: I do expect great 
blessings from the Lord; tell dear Mr. Sloper so: 
My heart is enlarged; mine eye is to the Lord 
alone, from whom all blessings How: But ten 
thousand thanks to him for the love, the delight- 
ful fellowship I have with his saints; the excellent 
of the earth: I can say, in them is all my delight: 
Adieu; my dearly beloved sister, believe me 
constantly, and affectionately yours, 

"J. Turner." 

"Dec. 1771. By the good hand of our God 
upon us strengthening us according to our day, 
the house is finished, devoted, given up to him: 
and glory be to his adorable majesty, he takes 
possession : His presence was felt by many on 
the opening it, Nov. 20, a time to be remember- 
ed! The name of the place is, c The Lord is 
there:' He bowed his heavens and came down so 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER, 123 

sweetly into my soul on that day, and does so con- 
stantly bless me, it is to my soul as a feast of fat 
things every time the Gospel is preached; and I 
have a taste of all the blessings bestowed on 
others: My blessed Immanuel almost constantly 
smiles upon my soul! Whenever I look to him, 
he gives me such loving commands, and notwith- 
standing I do all so abominably ill that I deserve 
nothing but frowns and blows; he covers all my 
faults, and calls me righteous even as he is right- 
eous! It is such a sweet mystery, but he makes 
me believe it: He calls me his love, his dove, his 
undefiled, particularly at his blessed supper; his 
sister, his spouse, I that am so polluted, so black; 
but it is in his comeliness, in his righteousness I 
am complete. 

"I think, from my inmost soul, there never was 
such an unworthy creature so blest: And blessed 
be his name, there is a great out-pouring of his 
Spirit upon others: Many are called from the 
kingdom of Satan; I think, every individual of 
our society is going from strength to strength, I 
feel a general growth in minister and people: hal- 
lelujah! praise the Lord." 

Thus was that respectable place of worship at 
Trowbridge, commonly known by the name of 
the tabernacle, set about and completed in faith: 
Being determined to ask help of no one, as she 
remarked, but to accept of any thing that was 
freely offered; they received the inconsiderable 
sum of £29 7s. from a few friends: exclusive of 
which, they defrayed the whole of the expense, 
to their very great astonishment and joy, out of 
the profits of that year's trade: as may be seen by 



124 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

the remainder of the journal concerning the 
building. 

"Jan. 1772. The Lord still calls us to live by 
faith on his promises to bear us out: We have 
taken stock as usual, thinking it prudent, but in 
confidence: and my dear husband was wonderful- 
ly freed from fears, praised be the Lord the 
Comforter. 

"About midnight, as my dear husband and I 
were employed in the work, after the family was 
retired to rest, I had such an inexpressible sweet- 
ness come over my spirit as exceedingly revived 
me: I thought my dearest Lord, who pitied us 
like as a father his children, said, with such an 
ineffable smile and sweetness: 'Children, this is 
too much: Why do you expose your health, give 
up your sleep and ease in order to maintain my 
cause? I do not desire it: I promise you it is well; 
it shall be well: you shall nevfer be put to shame; 
I will never leave nor forsake: blessing I will 
bless you, and multiplying I will multiply; trust 
me, you shall never be confounded: I know your 
hearts, your inmost souls; I am not displeased, 
you design it for my glory: but I shall be as well 
pleased, and it shall be as well with you, if you 
omit for the future breaking your rest on account 
of it. 5 " 

"Many other, sweet, precious, familiar expres- 
sions seemed to come with such power to my 
heart, as filled me with joy unspeakable; and I 
could not but think it a visit from God: and paid 
us in such a wonderfully suitable manner to the 
situation we were in, as was astonishing! My 
soul was filled with adoration, love and praise. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 125 

"I told it my dear husband immediately, who, 
I am sure, felt something of the sweetness: Oh, 
where shall I sink before the Lord, the lowest of 
all at his feet, because the most unworthy: I must 
desire all to give me place there, for it is my due! 
And in the desire of my soul I would outstrip 
them in serving, or suffering for his glory: my 
greatest delight is to serve; O that my dear Lord 
would teach and make me: All that night I slept 
as in the arms of Jesus, dreaming of his love; 
and several times waked myself, speaking of 
him. 

"Jan. 28, 1772. We finished our accounts: and 
to our very great surprise and abasement, we 
found our heavenly Father, our adorable Lord, 
had given us an amazing increase this year; 
enough to defray the expense of building 
the tabernacle: with the free-will offerings, and 
twelve pounds over and above, as wages for our 
overseeing the work! Our hearts glowed with 
wonder, love and praise! We were astonished, 
confounded: It was next to incredible, almost 
too much to be believed; But we remembered 
the ancient days, the days of old, believed the 
promises, and saw the Lord's hand was not 
shortened; He said, 'prove me:' He said, bles- 
sing I will bless thee: fear not, I am with thee, 
thou worm Jacob; and, is any thing too hard for 
the Lord." 

" We examined, re-examined, put all the ac- 
counts into the hands of our dear pastor, who 
could not find any material error, a few shillings, 
in the casting up, were the only mistake we could 
discover. 



126 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

"Such great things were wonderful to us: If 
was the Lord's doing, and tFuly marvellous in our 
eyes. 

The blessed effect it will hare upon us, I hope, 
will be, to trust the Lord more: to live more to 
his glory, to believe his promises, obey his pre- 
cepts? Whatever others do, may we and our 
house, serve him, cleave to him with full purpose 
of heart f May we be of Caleb's spirit, be c all 
heart* for God! Oh, may he constantly quicken 
us by his Spirit: for without him we can do no- 
thing, but all things through his strengthening 
us." 

And thus the Lord honoured those with almost 
miraculous success in trade, who honoured him 
with their substance, and with the first fruits of 
their increase? May all that read this be encour- 
aged, in their measure, to go and do likewise. 

Thus blest of the most high, on every side, in 
their minister, their church, their trade, their 
connexions; prejudice began to wear away from 
the minds of many that had hitherto set them- 
selves against them; and the world was constrain- 
ed to esteem and admire where they had not 
faith to imitate. 

Our dear friend in conjunction with her part- 
ner in life, was suitably impressed with the sense 
of her mercies. The flourishing state of the 
church, and the honor God conferred on her min- 
ister, were matter of great rejoicing to her: and 
she could not but be pleased, to see prejudice in- 
sensibly wearing away; and that she began to be 
esteemed by those who formerly despised her* 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 127 

For many years the Lord had inspired Mrs. 
Turner, with a desire to introduce the Gospel at 
Tisbury, in Wilts. She had conceived a great 
partiality for that village, because it was Mr. 
Turner's native place, and quite destitute of the 
knowledge of salvation by Christ. 

By frequent visits she had made herself well 
acquainted with the forlorn state of the people 
residing in it: and seemed persuaded, that if the 
Gospel could be introduced, much good would be 
done. For a long, season she laid this matter be- 
fore the Lord, as Mr. Turner could not, for some 
time, enter into her views: however, he at last 
consented to employ a brother on the spot, to 
look out a house that they might purchase. 

In the spring of the year 1781, a house was of- 
fered for sale. Just at this period, a legacy of 
a hundred pounds was left them by a Christian 
friend, who, in his life, had been a great favourer 
of the Gospel: These two remarkable openings 
of providence confirmed her in the persuasion 
that the matter was of God. 

The purchase was made: and, having given her- 
self unto prayer for a blessing upon the attempt 
with Mr. Turner's permission and hearty concur- 
rence, she determined to leave Trowbridge, and 
all her concerns there, for a time, and go to Tis- 
bury in the strength of the Lord: notwithstanding 
she knew she had to cope with many rich and 
powerful opposers of the Gospel there; and was 
likely to be charged with folly and enthusiasm, 
and accounted a busy-body, interfering where she 
had no call, by many of her dearest Christian 
brethren, who could not enter into the purity of 
her motives. 



128 LIFE AS1> DEATH OF 

The following letter to her dearly beloved re- 
lations, Miss E. J n, will best describe her 

inward feelings, and outward sufferings, at this 
time: 

"My dearly beloved sister, 

"It is truly delightful to me to receive letters 
constantly from you! I should have been happy 
to have seen you at this time, but as you prefer a 
more distant period, I must acquiesce. As soon 
as my young friends leave me, I hope you will 
come to me, either here or at Tisbury. 

"I stand with my loins girt, to remove at a 
day's warning, as soon as the present inhabitants 
shall quit the house at Tisbury. Sally and I are 
to go: and do not, my dearly beloved sister, be 
surprised or in the least alarmed, should the pro- 
vidence of God point your coming to help me 
there, instead of our staying together at Trow- 
bridge. 

"I have a confident hope, strong faith, that 
wonders will be wrought there in the name of 
Jesus: I expect the right arm of the Lord to be 
revealed; a great outpouring of the Spirit: and 
that I shall have closer union, greater fellowship 
with the Lord, than I have ever yet enjoyed: He 
will be with me: my husband, brother, father, 
friend; my wisdom, strength, portion, all. 

"Come, dear sister, come and partake, richly, 
freely, of every blessing: There are now Tobias, 
Sanballet, &c. &c. as in Nehemiah's time, who 
would weaken the hands, and make sad the hearts 
of God's people: It will answer no end,' say 
they, 4 it will come to nought>it is a wild scheaie; 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 129 

How can it be kept up in a future time, at such 
a distance?' Traditions of men are, now-a-days, 
too much attended to even by real disciples. 

"Oh my beloved sister, religion must be the 
same, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever 
shall be! God is unchangeable: his word is the 
standard, the divine rule, still, to try all by: Alas! 
alas! I cannot forbear taking up a lamentation, 
and saying, how came, from whence came, 'this 
innovation, this degradation of our most holy re- 
ligion? 5 which is, 'believing on Christ with our 
hearts, and confessing him with our lips and 
lives? 5 I am striving to be a simple follower of 
Jesus: But if I meet with some little discourage- 
ment, I am favoured, blest, with divine assist- 
ance; and with much human help: praise God, 
from whom all blessings flow! It is too large a 
subject to expatiate on with pen and ink: I trust 
I shall see you soon, face to face, and tell you 
some of the peculiar providences, teachings, con- 
solations, and kind corrections, vouchsafed at 
this time: no good thing is withheld. 

"Indeed, my dear sister, I could not leave my 
pleasant situation, my delightful post, but for the 
glory of my God, who is the portion of his peo- 
ple: and the happiness of my dear fellow mortals: 

pray for me, hold me up by your prayers: Is 
there a creature upon earth that needs them like 
me: And I am sure there is not a creature upon 
earth that has so much to be thankful for. 

"I should have been happy to have seen dear 
Mr. Fletcher. I believe he prays for me; and so 

1 believe many do at this time: may all their dear 
hearts be encouraged: The Lord does hear, he 

6* 



130 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

does answer prayer! My present employment ig 
very sweet, endeavouring a little to feed those 
dear lambs with me! And, although my spirit is 
kept in the most awful solemn frame, yet it is 
exceedingly sweet: fear does not come nigh me; 
my peace flows like a river! The good Lord does 
keep me in perfect peace, with my mind stayed 
upon him.' 3 

In a second letter she writes as follows: 

"My beloved Sister, 

"I am thankful for one more opportunity of 
writing before I go. It is truly delightful to me 
to converse with you, and to hear from you. 
Glory be to my adorable God r he is pleased to- 
indulge me with a clearer fight, and with great- 
er power, to go on in the much untrodden, and 
therefore much wondered-at path: He vouch- 
safes, by his Spirit, Word, and Providence, to 
lead me in. O, may you, my beloved sister, 
have a greater degree, larger measure of every 
heavenly blessing, to confirm, establish, strength- 
en you in the divine service, if it be his good 
pleasure to employ you in that part of the vine- 
yard! 'Send Lord, by whom thou wilt send;' All 
power is thine — none are sufficieut in themselves; 
and thou canst strengthen, use — yea, and work 
wonders too, by the feeblest worm r that no flesh 
may glory in thy presence. 

"Next week, I hope to go my little pilgrimage 
to Tisbury. The present is the most solemn pe- 
riod of my life! I experience more peace and 
power from the Lord, than I have ever been fa- 
voured with; perhaps there is more need of it 
I wonder, myself, at the testimony I am coa- 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 131 

strained to bear; the awful important messages I 
deliver to the bigotted, worldly-minded profes- 
sors, with a boldness I never had before. The 
fear of man, and the desire of pleasing them, 
contary to the word of God; is so taken away, 
that my liberty is inexpressible! What my dear- 
est Lord will be pleased to do with me, by me, 
for me, I am not careful about: I take no thought 
for the morrow! He himself will be with me, 
and — 

'With Him conversing, I forget all time: 

f AU seasons and their change, all please alike!' 

"If you should not go to Madely, I beseech 
you to come up to the help of the Lord, and 
strengthen the hands of the feeblest servant that 
ever was employed; a nothing, nothing creature! 
But the Lord is with me; my helper is the mighty 
God of Jacob. 

"I shall slip away with great quietness; no hu- 
man strength, parade or show, my spirit will not 
bear it; no assembling of friends, nor opening a 
house: wonders must be wrought in the name of 
Jesus! No denomination, no party to be preferred; 
no bigot, if I know it, of any party to be admitted: 
my spirit has suffered so much from these, that 
I canno* but shrink from the very appearance of 
bigotry. 

"You would rejoice, my dear sister, at the 
goodly company among the preachers that have 
offered themselves willingly; my heart is indeed 
with them. Who can tell what a great matter, 
this little fire, in the hands of our great and good 
God, may kindle!*' 



132 LIFE AND HEATH OF 

In another letter, she F says, "Our design of 
bringing the Gospel to Tisbury, is amazingly ru- 
moured around a vast neighbourhood. Great 
risings of heart and threatenings, I hear, are the 
consequence; and frequent assembling together 
of the clergy and rich farmers to obstruct our 
coming; but if the Lord permit, who shall 
hinder! 5 ' 

In the month of May, 1781, Mr. Mrs. Turner 
went to Tisbury, to attend the manor-court, and 
take possession of their new purchase; but only 
stayed one day, the house being yet tenanted. 
Some persons, who had received a hint of their 
intention, met them, and congratulated them on 
the business, with expressions of joy, that the 
Gospel was like to come within their reach. Mrs. 
Turner considered these unexpected congratula- 
tions as a token for good; nor was she disap- 
pointed of her hope. 

A few weeks after, Mrs. Turner, with a man* 
and maid servant, went to reside there, for a 
time; and as soon as they arrived they published 
preaching for the ensuing Saturday. The follow- 
ing letter to her dearly beloved husband, gives 
an account of their first week's proceeding, em- 
ployment, and prospect of success: — 

"My dear Thomas, 

"Your wife should be the humblest, thank- 
fullest creature upon earth, to God and man, she 
is so laden with benefits! 'Mercy and truth follow 
me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in 
the house of the Lord for ever!' 

"Thank you for your dear letter by Mr. C , 

I hope you were carried home safe; I felt for you 



MRS. J0ANWA TURNER. 13$ 

all the afternoon you left me, besides pangs of 
the tenderest affection at parting. The awful 
weather was a great affliction, thinking how you 
were exposed. Not that I had a doubt of the 
goodness of my heavenly Father; to Him I com- 
mended you, to Him I shall ever commend 
you, who is a present help in every time of 
need. 

"Tisbury is just the same to me as Trow- 
bridge, my God is as near to me! I stared in need 
of constant support and supply from Him; and, 
blessed be his name, he does graciously afford 
strength according to my day. My employment 
is the same, telling of his goodness, love and 
power; my own and my dear fellow-immortals, 
vileness and weakness. I am greatly astonished 
at the attention of all I have spoken to, young 
and old; and the understandings of many seem in 
a degree enlightened. The Lord inclines their 
hearts to hear, in the most favourable man- 
ner, what a poor worm speaks out of the abun- 
dance of her heart, from love to their souls^ 
and strong desires to glorify her dear Lord and 
Saviour! 

"One of your relations, seemed a good deal af- 
fected at the thought of my coming to reside 
among them, said, 'he believed the preachers 
would not have been received in any other man- 
ner; but there was no doubt but they would 
now! 5 Surely, the Lord's ways are in the great 
deep! What we know not at present, we are 
taught in future; I mention this for your greater 
reconciliation to my absence. 

"Oh, that the Lord may speak to the heart* 
of the people here! May there be a great out* 



184 LIFE ANB DEATH OF 

pouring of the spirit! my eyes are to the Lord, 
and my expectation from him. Indeed, I never 
saw before, so extensive a prospect of the spread 
of the Gospel in a new place. Oh, that Satan 
may not be permitted to frustrate! 

"I am more and more satisfied and assured, 
that I am where I ought to be, and, Ho obey, is 
better than sacrifice!' The approbation of my 
God is to me abundantly better, than all the en- 
joyments of life; and these I have too! 

"My soul followeth hard after God; none but 
he can help the people, I endeavour to point them 
all to Him; I want nothing, but more of his 
blessed self, his Spirit, likeness to him., in every 
action, every temper. How ashamed, how sor- 
ry am I, for all that is contrary; and indeed, 
that is every thing I think, say, or do. All day 
long my refuge is in Jesus; my happiness, that 
4 his blood cteanseth from all sin!' 

"I think sometimes, 'When things there are 
settled, and the workmen have finished, I shall 
be so happy!' and immediately recollect the fol- 
ly of deferring the expectation of happiness one 
moment, or hoping for it in any thing here below^ 
it being to be enjoyed only in God. Employ- 
ment, station, situation, are not the least impe- 
diment 

"William and Sally are great helps to me, in 
every respect. Last night, brother William, 
Mrs. Shepherd and her daughter, were with us. 
We read a sermon; we sang and prayed, and the 
Lord strengthened and blessed us all together. 

"You cannot conceive the sweet openings of 
Providence, and blessed teachings of the Spirit 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 1S5 

to my own soul, I am favoured with, to gently 
lead, allure, and draw the people to the Lordj 
it is heavenly employment! 1 give up my time to 
all that come. 

"Shall be glad of more of the dialogues, and 
some few of 4 Dr. Watts's Second Cathechisms 
for Children. The place before our house is 
their play place, and very noisy they were the 
first two evenings. I intend to invite them all 
into my house, and give a half-penny each, to 
play at some other place; and at the same time, 
perhaps, to speak to them largely of their soul 
affairs. So that, I suppose I shall soon have 
some catechumens; and the service of my Lord 
is perfect freedom. 

"By his good hand he has brought me hither, 
to speak comfortably, and to cherish a few dis- 
ciples, who are languishing and withering, for 
want of the Saviour being preached to them, as 
all-sufficient and all sufficing. Some others, seem 
to have a desire to please God, if they did but 
know the way: others are amazingly ignorant; 
but either out of curiosity, novelty, or other 
motives, all seem willing to hear, desirous to at- 
tend to me and treat me with love. 

"Indeed, it is visible to myself, God has put 
an awe upon the inhabitants at present, so that I 
hope none of the dear ministers' hearts will sink; 
for here is a large and open door — abundant 
labours to enter into, for the glory of God. 

"You know I am averse to tattling; none are 
indulged by me to speak the least offensive thing; 
all is solemn and devout. Some one said, 'the 
clergyman intended to pay us off at church to- 



1S6 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

'morrow;-* but I hope I have ever since heartily- 
prayed for him, that he may be pardoned and 
converted. I do not talk about the ministers here, 
but the concerns of precious immortal souls. 

"You cannot think how spontaneously I fall 
into what I suppose is, the custom of the coun- 
try, asking all your relations to eat and drink; 
and I see they shew their good will towards you 
by eating and drinking. There appears to me 
something pleasing and primitive in the custom, 
when it is not abused. 

"My dear, you must be sure to send me 
preachers; for all the world, but this corner in 
which I am, seems as much out of my reach as 
if there were an ocean to be crossed. But if our 
dear brethren will pray for us, and come regular- 
ly to help us — 'all is well! "Send Lord, by whom 
thou f wilt send,' but let the message be to the 
hearts and consciences. 

"The Lord is our protector, by night and by 
day; for there is not a lock on any door of the 
house, at present, and but one bolt. Sally fastens 
one with a bit of chip; the window shutters with 
feather quills; and with a string of our small pack- 
thread she ties the latch of another door. I smile, 
and tell her — c she must have something besides 
God to trust in, if it be but a string of pack- 
thread.' Thus, we sweetly experience the Lord's 
protecting arm: He calls us to it; it cannot be 
otherwise at present; neither the workmen nor 
any others are to be blamed. God willing, shall 
see you next week, to order the alterations in 
the house/ The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth!' 
therefore, never fear for me. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 137 

"Hope dear Mr. Newborn will be most divine- 
ly strengthened. My soul travails, as it were, in 
birth for this place; for the spiritual deliverance 
of its inhabitants." 

Mr. Newborn, a student of the Countess of 
Huntingdon's came and preached on the Saturday 
evening, and three times the next day, and the fol- 
lowing extract from a letter to her neice B 1, 

now Mrs. L k, gives an account of the re- 
ception his message met with. 

"It was astonishing — the great gathering to- 
gether of the people, and their very solemn, de- 
cent, respectful behaviour. Much opposition 
had been meditated, but little made: an egg was 
thrown, but did not break. An attempt was made 
to blow horns, but the sound was so low as to give 
no interruption. Some efforts were used to set 
the dogs on barking, but the most they produced 
was only a low snarling, and that soon ceased. 
The adorable Lord gave the preacher such pow- 
er over the hearts of the people, that if he did 
but say, 'Do not mind what they do, mind me, 
who am speaking to you in the name of the Lord;* 
all their eyes were presently turned upon him 
again. Silent tears stole down the cheeks of 
many; and many remarkably wicked persons have 
forsaken their wickedness. 

"O, praise the Lord for his wonderful good- 
ness to the children of men! My feelings for that 
country are so strong, that if it were the will of 
my God, I could happily reside among them, all 
my remaining days below: but I can do nothing 
but pray my God to bless them, and that I can da 
when at Trowbridge. 



138 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

"There is indeed, my dear, a blessed pros- 
pect! All the ministers, (and their is a fresh one 
fivery week) have felt most divine animations. 
There is a visible alteration in many. We pur- 
pose, with divine [permission, to erect a chapel 
there. We have purchased ground, and as the 
Lord puts it into our hearts, he will bear us 
through this, and every other delightful service, 
he honours us the unworthiest of creatures with. 

" You will be very happy, when you you come 
to live with us, my dear neice, to be sometimes 
there. It is a divine retreat, most delightful 
country; but it is the love of God that makes us 
happy as well as holy. 

"If you have an opportunity to speak to Mr. 

J -s and Mr. S n, who were both so kind 

as to promise me some Bibles, and if there were 
with them, some of 'Dr. Watts's Second Cate- 
chisms for Children,' they might be very useful. 
I do not think, in any part of England, there is 
a greater want of them, or of the word of God. 

"I have distributed many books, and a blessing 
has visibly attended some: If you see the Rev. 
Mr. B— — n, before you leave London, tell him, 
the Lord is a prayer answering God ! The morn- 
ing I set off for Tisbury, it was under the sweet 
influence of his prayers for success; and I hope 
he will not faint, but continue to hold up all our 
hands, and others of the dear servants of the 
Lord: Elias was a man of like passions; and yet 
by prayer, he shut and opened heaven; and it is 
*a weapon,' Mr. Hart says, 'the weakest can 
wield the best.' Never, never before did I need, 
did I experience, so much of the divine pow- 
er and love extended towards me." 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER, 139 

The most notoriously wicked wretch in the 
parish, she says, in another letter, was awaken- 
ed under the first sermon He was a great drunk- 
ard, and so involved in his circumstances, by his 
extravagancies, that he was driven almost to de- 
stroy himself; who from that time continued in 
the good ways of God, and became a good 
husband, good father, and a useful member of 
society. 

The instances of success attending the word 
preached, are too numerous to be inserted here! 
And our friends were encouraged to promote and 
put forward the building a very neat little chapel ; 
of which, and the increase of converts, she 
speaks thus in a letter to her beloved cousin, dated 
Tisbury, Oct. 17, 1781. 

"My beloved sister, 

"My Lord is with me: He calls a worm, his 
friend, he calls himself, my God! — Wonders are 
wrought here in the name of Jesus: never, never 
did I see, or expect to see, so great a spread of 
the Gospel, and as deep and solid as it is wide: 
But it is all the Lord's doings: He shall have all 
the glory; and all my poor abilities shall be con- 
stantly exerted, to teach the peopje, yea, all the 
people, to ascribe all to him. 

"Here are lions indeed turned into lambs: The 
dispositions and behaviour of many are visibly 
different, as the fierce and savage, from the meek 
and gentle: These things, my beloved, cannot but 
greatly strengthen my hands, and animate, my 
heart, in the blessed service of my divine master* 



140 LIFE AND DEATfc OF 

"The number of living witnesses already raised 
up in this place, is a sure token, a clear call to 
us, to erect a chapel, in which they may assem- 
ble quietly together. By the good hand of God 
upon us, the foundation is laid, the sacred walls 
are most delightfully raising: But it is amazing, 
the envious, malicious, but impotent efforts of 
every kind, that are made by the heads of the 
parish to hinder the work. 

"Almost every day produces something new: 
and, blessed be the Lord, he as constantly watch- 
es over, preserves, defends and encourages his 
poor dust: How great, how conspicuous, his 
goodness and power: Surely, he 'carrieth his 
lambs in his arms, and gently leadeth those that 
are with young; 7 for, until I returned again 
amongst them, they were not suffered to break 
out and disturb the destitute sheep. 

"Soon after I came hither, the 15th verse of 
the 41st of Isaiah, was strongly impressed upon 
my mind; 'Behold, I will make thee a new sharp 
threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt 
thresh the mountains, and beat them small, and 
shalt make the hills as chaft? And almost the 
next time I read the Bible, I was struck with 
these words, 'Arise and thresh, O daughter of 
Zion: for I will make thine horn iron, and I will 
make thy hoofs brass, and thou shalt beat in pie- 
ces many people: and I will consecrate their grain 
unto the Lord, and their substance unto the Lord 
of the whole earth:' Micah 4. 13. If these poor 
great men could prevent, they would not let us 
have workmen, materials, carriage, nor even sand 
for mortar, we are forbid that: and yet we are not 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER, 141 

hindered, want for nothing, nor in the least put 
to a stand !" 

While the chapel was building, another house 
was licensed for preaching, at Ebsbourn; whith- 
er the minister went from Tisbury, to preach, at 
one o'clock, every Lord's day. Thus she speaks 
erf it in the same letter: — 

"We have another house licensed, six miles 
from hence, and great success attends the preach- 
ing there; but it is too far for me to walk, and no 
one here dares lend me a horse. Satan roars, 
as he does here: but can do no more. A convert 
from thence came to us yesterday, a solid man. 
They have blown horns, twice, to disturb; but 
now they are most peaceable. 

"The dear people are fitting up a place them- 
selves for preaching, and a stable for the horse. 
They are a most blessed people, have met to- 
gether for mutual edification near a year; came 
to our first preaching, and besought us to come 
over and help them." 

On Lord's-day, the sixteenth of October, in the 
forenoon, a society was formed of those who 
were truly united to Christ: and thus she speaks 
on the occasion:— 

"Yesterday, in the forenoon, the foundation of 
a church of Christ, the living God, was laid her^! 
Some lively stones, that I trust are spiritually uni- 
ted to Godj and to each other in Christ, are 
sweetly appointed, to strengthen each others 
hands in him: Mr. Beaufoy, a student of lady Hun- 
tingdon's speaking to them, first, from Malachi 
iii, 16, 17. 'Then they that feared the Lord, 
spake often to one another, and the Lord heark- 



142 LIFE AND DEATH Of 

ened and heard it, and a book of remembrance 
was written before him for them that feared the 
Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they 
shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day 
when I make up my jewels, and I will spare them 
as a man spareth his own son that serveth him:' 
Two of the men were as great swearers and 
drunkards, as any in the place> before the preach- 
ing commenced. 

To Mr. Turner she writes thus: 'Blessed be 
the Lord, many hearts are opening, and opened, 
here, by the mighty power of God, to receive 
the word in the love of it: I am quite in my ele- 
ment, giving glory to him: for 'all the good that 
is done upon the earth, he doth it himself:* All 
this and heaven too. 

"This is a sweet, sacred retirement: my soul 
is enjoying such nearness lo my God, as I am not 
usually favoured with: Now, my dear, I can with 
confidence assure you, the matter is of the Lord: 
We used to say, if but one soul were converted 
to God, it were worth all the expense, all the 
trouble: How good, how kind is the Lord, that 
hath already brought to our knowledge one noto- 
rious sinner, and one of a pharisaical turn, that 
was brought to the Lord by the first sermon, and 
several others, by every sermon since. 

"Now the seed sown begins to spring up, in my 
sight, to my great joy, and to the glory of my 
God: Even young children are filled with such 
real, that they want to reprove gainsayers. Tell 
mother, she may live a little heaven upon earth 
here, if she is in a spirit of submission and adora- 
tion. I have told the people of her taking my f 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER." 148 

place here, for a time, and Jenny Walk, her con- 
vert in the Lord, is delighted. 

"I have not permitted gossiping conversation 
here: and, I hope none will ever be admitted under 
this sacred roof, dedicated to Almighty God, set 
apart for his worship: May every future inhabi- 
tant feel his presence, think, speak and act, under 
his eye, honor him and he will honor them. 

"It is a Bethel: I must give it the name, from 
the fullest, sweetest experience of its being none 
other than the house of God, and the very gate of 
heaven, to my soul: Thy will, I say continually, 
my God, be done, in me, by me: but that good- 
ness, love and power, thou hast so richly and 
constantly caused to pass before me, make this 
place so delightful to my own soul, that if it were 
thy heavenly will, I could gladly spend the re- 
mainder of my days in this sweet retirement; and 
here, with my beloved husband, sweetly fall 
asleep in Jesus; But, if my Lord is pleased to 
call me again, into the busy, and into the religious 
world, he will support me: He will supply my 
every future want! 

"With him conversing, I forget all time, 

AU seasons and their change, all please alike?" 

O, what a blessed, what a soul satisfying portion 
is the Lord. 

"Yesterday, I paid a sweet visit to the poor at 
the work house: surely, it is to the poor the 
Gospel must be preached. 

"This is written with so bad a pen that I would 
destroy it; but consider, it was dedicated with a 
good design, from my heart, and to a loving 
friend that will cast the mantle of love wherever 
it is necessary. 



144 LIFE! AND DEATH 0* 

"0 thou tenderest, best of husbands; thou dost 
deserve the best exertions of my poor abilities: 
and when I return home, my God will strengthen 
me to assist thee in the toils of life, and recom- 
pense thy care with the kindest endearments. 

"Friday morning. O my dear, how good the 
Lord is: My life should be, and indeed it is, in a 
ineasure — All thanksgiving! I see so much cause 
to praise: His works praise him, his saints must 
bless him! The springing up of the glorious 
Gospel-seed, is most delightful to me to behold: 
Surely, here is an amazing out-pouring of the 
Spirit: 'What can David say, will the Almighty 
dwell with man?' 'Yes, he will, he does: Blessed 
are my eyes that see it, my ears that hear it: It is 
not, the passions only tonched! but sinners are 
really turned from their sins; they hate them, and 
have power against them! And is it not the Lord 
that girdeth them with strength though they do 
not know it is he, but tell me, that 'They were 
never so happy in their lives, and they trust in 
the Lord they shall always live in his fear.' 

"Here is such a lisping forth the praise of Je- 
sus, they carry their hymn-books in their pock- 
ets, and read them every opportunity: and they 
taste such real pleasure, that the scoffs and jeers 
of their old companions, are but little regarded 
by them. 

"Here are no complaints of doubting; I do not 
know that I have heard the word mentioned: The 
Lord gives faith: the Gospel report is believed by 
many: and Christ saith, 'He will not break a 
bruised reed, but will gently lead those that are 
with young," 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 145 

€i Henry S k, our first convert, appears to 

me full of simplicity and godly sincerity: What 
a lion turned into a lamb is he: Oh! what am I, 
that his soul should be given me: Night and day, 
I cannot but praise God for this 'brand plucked 
from the burning:' I never before rejoiced so much 
at any conversion, but my own: Indeed, my soul 
feels an inexpressible relation to his: Oh! how 
good, how good the Lord is. 

"I never before, saw such a speedy, and to 
present appearance, powerful, spread of the Gos- 
pel: Oh, may no malignant blights and blasts be 
suffered to fall upon us, or rise up to spoil the 
precious fruit: Pray my dear husband, pray and 
praise for us: Oh that the Lord may come with 
every one of his dear servants, that offer them- 
selves willingly to his delightful work: My heart is 
indeed with them, before, at, and after their work, 
praying that they may have a blessed reward. 

"The Lord comes to my help, dwells in my 
heart, is with me every where, and at all times; 
and shall I fear any thing but sin: That would 
grieve his Spirit, cause him to withdraw! I do 
not fear hosts of men, nor legions of devils: what 
can they do without divine permission? And my 
Lord 'keeps me as the apple of his eye: has gra- 
ven me on the palms of his hands; waters me 
every moment; keeps me by night and by day.' 

"My dear husband, I do long to be more like 
Christ! Well, the Holy Spirit does sweetly en- 
large my heart, expand my soul: I am on the 
tiptoe, on the stretch, for heavenly advancement 
here on earth! And I will tell you, my dear, the 
height of my ambition, is to submit to every thing 
7 



146 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

but sin, to be passive in the Lord's hands: But 
most painful feelings 1 expect still to pass through, 
from different causes, the strength and the weak- 
ness of my nature: Do not, my beloved, be anx- 
ious one moment for me: Under evil report, I run 
to my God for shelter; and in good report, I thank 
him for inclining the heart, and lay all my honors 
at my Redeemer's feet. 

"After you left me, I had a most pleasing sense 
of the Lord's goodness to us: He would not per- 
mit us to have things mean, though he gave me a 
holy indifference to the things of this life. Every 
thing you have done and ordered, I see, is right; 
and you cannot think how neat my little cottage 
will be by the time you come. 

'•In about six minutes I drew a plan for the 
garden, which William has executed. I talk to 
none but about eternal things, except what is ab- 
solutely necessary: and, I bless God, that I have 
frequently delightful seasons of that kind: It is 
wonderful, indeed it is wonderful, the spread of 
the truth the few weeks that it has been preached 
here: A good foundation is laid, a most beautiful 
and glorious temple is rising, to the admiration of 
some, and hatred of others. How thankful, my 
dear Thomas, should you and I be, to be made 
servants in this glorious work: What an honor to 
serve such a master, who so sweetly teaches, 
lovingly assists, strengthens, bears through and 
furnishes with every thing; What happy parta- 
kers are we of his loving favour, now in time, 
and to eternity it will be growing inconceivably 
great. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 147 

"And besides being happy ourselves, Oh my 
dear, to be instrumental to the salvation of others, 
it is all that is worth living for: While we see so 
many, either unscripturally laying up treasures 
upon earth; or others, as sinfully consuming it up- 
on their lusts, to have it put in our hearts, to de- 
vote to the Lord whatever he is pleased to give 
us, for it is all his own; what an honour: what a 
privilege. 

"Thursday — Oh the sweetness of reposing in 
God, confiding, trusting, in him alone, for protec- 
tion as well as direction: Last night, brother Wil- 
liam said, he thought there should be watchers: 
as the stable wall is down, every thing open, and 
the new raised wall so weak as yet, that there 
was great danger, not only from thieves, but ma- 
licious people might pull down the work by night; 
but I durst not be afraid of, nor confide in man 1 
Firmly believing the promises of God in the 41st 
of Isaiah, and most heartily commending our- 
selves to the Almighty, we have had a most de- 
lightful night; and all so peaceable and prosper- 
ous this morning, that nothing but the power and 
presence of God can cause: The work goes on 
well to-day, and every person fully and properly 
employed." 

Whilst the walls of the outward church were 
raised, the inward was increasing daily in many 
hearts; and thus she speaks of the progress of the 
work to Miss E. J n: — 

"Ebenezer — hitherto the Lord hath helped me 
my beloved in the Lord: I am returned to this 
place again, and find all well; the society enlar- 
ged, four added since I was here last. Several 



148 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

more, I suppose will soon be added. The num- 
ber of hearers likewise increases. But it is the 
poor that receive the Gospel: as yet, the richer 
sort grow more and more averse, more despising, 
more rejecting: notwithstanding the judgments 
God has been pleased to execute amongst them, 
and the visible outstretching of his arm of power, 
to defend and protect his defenceless ones, from 
all their attempts against us. 

"I sensibly perceive Satan cast out of many 
hearts, and taking stronger possession of some 
others. He has had great power, for many ages, 
in these parts: but one that is stronger, the Al- 
mighty Jesus, is come to help, snd w r o«drous 
things I do expect from him. 

"I do assure you, my dear sister, it is not fan- 
cy, I speak that I see, and testify that I feel: I 
have not, since Mr. Whitefield's time, known 
such a divine unction, such constant power of the 
Spirit, attend the ministry of the word, as in this 
place, whoever were the preacher: Our poor 
brother Watts was there a fortnight ago, and 
made such a blessing: The glory belongs to God, 
for he is all the power. 

"I have more than twenty children come to be 
catechised, boys and girls. They learn amazing- 
ly fast: I have them Tuesdays and Fridays, from 
five to six; and a most pleasing employment it is: 
May it be blest to each of their precious souls: 
With Sally's assistance we sing a hymn for chil- 
dren: and, not to overburden them, but that they 
may remember the better, I endeavor to inculcate 
one duty at a time upon them. The first meeting 
was employed in advising tbem to behave well; 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 149 

to be quiet and orderly in the streets; at home, 
abroad, and every where; which they promised 
to mind: the next, in admonishing them against 
telling lies, which I charge every one to keep in 
mind. Little, as this employment may appear, I 
cannot express what a solemnity and delight my 
soul feels in it! And, as I did not come here to 
be idle, on Thursdays, from six to seven, I meet 
some sober, and, I hope, awakened young wo- 
men: may they be as lights in this place, and 
others be made to follow them, as they follow 
Christ. 

"The dear society is met on the Lord's day, 
by the minister. And on the Wednesday even- 
ing, they meet together for reading or prayer: 
and my husband's brother is raised up, by the 
mighty power of God, to be a leader; I am much 
blest under his simple prayers! Last night he 
read over one of Mr. Whitefield's sermons. The 
work deepens in their hearts, and they so freely 
confess and acknowledge it, without the quibbles 
and fears of many we converse with, in old 
churches! A church that is truly glorious seems 
raising here! Blessed are my eyes that see it.*' 

About this time she writes thus to Mr. Turner 
concerning the society: "It is the poor that are 
to have the Gospel preached to them: and blessed 
be God, here is a glorious troop; and highly fa- 
voured souls they are; Others, want to be in the 
society; and I think all that desire it should be 
admitted, that appear to have spiritual light and 
life, by their speech and behaviour; that leaving 
their old companions and practices, they may as- 
sociate together with one accord, praying, speak- 



150 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

ing together, exhorting and edifying one another. 

I have formed into a society those who profess 
to be on the Lord's side. This, I think, will be 
a mean to preserve from extremes; from neglect- 
ing those that appear concerned about their souls, 
and from making too much of those appearances, 
which sometimes die away. By this mean, 
those that are feeble may be strengthened; for, 
surely, none want helps of every kind, more than 
newly convinced souls; it seems unkind and un- 
scriptural, to slight and neglect those that appear 
to be babes in Christ! So, you see, my beloved, 
I am to work a little in this vineyard, and, I be- 
lieve, it is at my Lord's command." 

What opposition and success she met with in 
forming this society, will be seen by part of a 
letter to Miss E. J n— 

"I left the dear people of Tisbury with much 
soul-satisfaction, and without fear, believing the 
adorable Head will replenish them out of that 
fullness there is in him; that they will, all that 
are united to him by faith, receive grace for 
grace. The last week I was there, Satan, by his 
emissaries, seemed to stride across the road to 
weary me with fatigue, and prevent every step 
that I took for settling them in Gospel order, and 
under proper encouragement and discipline; but, 
blessed be the Lord, he was my helper, and 
every thing that I desired was brought to pass. 

"A society is established for the benefit of 
young converts, upon declaring what God hath 
done for their souls; six were added to it the last 
Lord's day I was there. A church also is con- 
gregated, of those who are more established. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 151 

consisting of twenty-three members, Ebsbourn 
and Tisbury together. And two elders have been 
appointed to serve, supply, and watch over them, 
my husband's brother for Tisbury, and a precious 
soul for Ebsbourn, that resides there: these have 
received the Lord's-supper together, once; and it 
appears likely they will have it monthly.'' 

By this time the chapel was nearly finished: 
and the following extracts of letters to Mr. Tur- 
ner, will shew, with what readiness and willing- 
ness she gave up her time and talents to the Lord; 
and what sacred encouragements she was enabled 
to afford her husband, from time to time, to 
strengthen his hands in the work:— 

"Don't be surprised, my dear love, at receiv- 
ing a letter from me. I have nothing but good 
tidings to communicate! Notwithstanding my 
boasting in the Lord so frequently as I do, of my 
freedom from creatures, and how little pain my 
connexion with them gives me, freedom, I mean, 
from overvaluing them, my heart felt at parting 
with thee, and still feels the strongest pangs I 
have ever yet felt; But I see and feel that I am in 
in the path of duty! am greatly delighted with 
the chapel* it is the sweetest place now the scaf- 
folding is down; Be strong, my dear, be of good 
courage in this blessed work; it is the most hon- 
orable, most useful, and shall I not say, most de- 
lightful, that creatures can be employed in! 'Fear 
not, only believe that God calls and will bear you 
through! Read the prophet Haggai, read Mal- 
achi, read the last chapter of Zephaniah, and 
read Nehemiah, the experience of these dear 
brethren that have gone before us ! and may we 



152 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

follow them as they followed the Lord; and not 
take the formalists, the lukewarm, the worldly 
minded professors, for our pattern! I have been 
greatly refreshed and strengthened by those 
scriptures I recommend to thee, thou beloved of 
my heart. 

"I think it is the most pleasing place I ever 
saw of the kind: the neatness of it, now it is 
finished, is striking to me, it so greatly exceeds 
my expectation: Oh! how good the Lord is, so 
greatly to indulge his poor creatures, dust and 
ashes as we are: He knew our hearts: He knew 
our aim was to exalt him; to set him forth, to 
make him known: and he strenthens, teaches, 
and does all, in us, for us, with us, by us. 

"When I observe how exquisitely fine and well 
the plasterers temper their mortar, every ingre- 
dient so finely mixed, I wish, I pray that I and 
my dear husband may be so well tempered; every 
grace of the Spirit, every virtue, every thing that 
is for the. Redeemer's glory, so mingled in our 
spirits, words, and actions: I see, my dear, what 
foolish children we are, still, in the school of 
Christ: we expect ripe fruit from trees while 
they are rooting: at such a season we should be 
thankful for the least symptom of life; and not 
expect fine rich juicy fruit. The plumb-tree Mr. 
W gave us, helps me to this instruction. 

"Thursday evening, past 9 o'clock. I have 
had a most delightful visit from brother William, 
and Henry Snook: heavenly conference we en- 
joyed together; and your dear brother had such 
blessed liberty in prayer! These two converts 
are worth millions, praise the Lord; there is 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 153 

such solidity, life, and power in them: Thy bro- 
ther is wiser than the aged; he is, indeed, a mo- 
nument of mercy. 

u The weather is exceedingly boisterous; but, 
I have a sweet comfortable habitation! Oh, my 
dear, I do not wonder the best of men should 
love retirement! Were you but to live with me 
here, how happy should I be! The near, the fa- 
miliar, the sweet access to my heavenly Father, 
that he indulges me with, will rejoice you. I 
know, to hear, and prevent your kindly fearing or 
caring, with loving anxiety, for me! He permits, 
and I am well satisfied! His divine majesty is 
pleased and smiles upon my soul, whilst I beg him 
to bless with the choicest of his blessings my be- 
loved husband, to make up abundantly my ab- 
sence, with his loving presence: Never, never 
was I more united to thee than I am here: though 
absent in body, am present in spirit, yea one with 
thee. 

" My next great important request next to that 
for the renewal of my own nature; and that I, 
and my dear husband, may have heavenly dispo- 
sitions, and be truly metened for heaven here be- 
low is; Hhat the Lord will be pleased to fill the 
house we have built for his adorable majesty, 
with his blessed presence. 5 " 

In another letter she writes thus: — 

"Now for a little converse with my beloved 
husband, God has most sweetly united us in him- 
self: it is an indissoluble, an everlasting union; 
c Here I am, the living, the living, to praise the 
Lord;' want nothing, but you to be with me, to 
share the divine pleasure my soul so richly enjoys. 



154 LIFE AN0 DEATH OF 

"This is life; answering the end of our crea- 
tion; in attempt at least. Man-s chief end is to 
glorify God, and enjoy him for ever. How- 
ever men may ridicule, censure and blame, 
and even carnal formal professors sneer, I must 
bear an honest testimony, at this time, to thee 
who canst credit it, who wilt believe, that I never 
lived and acted so much to my soul's satisfaction; 
never had so strong a witness of the Spirit, so 
clear evidence from the word of God, of my be- 
ing in the right way; the way the patriarchs, the 
apostles, the primitive Christians, trod, the way 
of obedience; submitting to be taught and govern- 
ed, as well as saved, by the adorable Jesus! If 
the Bible is to be our rule of conduct, we are 
right, we are right, my beloved, we are right; 
however the zeal and love of many, is, nowa- 
days, waxing cold: Let us now be content, 
to be laughed at, by those who think they are so 
much wiser, in adding field to field, and house to 
house; and satisfy conscience by the most stupi- 
fying opiates of sound creeds, decent behaviour, 
or, any thing, but right faith, and true devoted- 
ness of heart, lip, life, time, talents, soul and 
body, the whole to be at the Lord's disposal. 

"Satan, I know, is a powerful foe, he made his 
first attack upon the woman alone; and, if he find 
it will answer his purpose better, he will assault 
the man alone. Notwithstanding he is indeed the 
head, and superior to woman; yet Satan, by force 
or fraud will make the attack, but resist him, my 
beloved, resist him, and he will flee; Thus it is 
written! The whole scripture, from Genesis to 
Revelations, points out a life of faith and obe- 
dience as our rule; such as thy wife, in a little 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 155 

measure, 'though faint, is pursuing!' Jehovah is 
on our side, and no matter who sneers, and counts 
thee a fool, now. 

"For some time past I have felt strong desires 
for conformity to my Lord; and, now, it is so 
sweetly explained to me that I am treading in his 
steps, in my little measure; He had love to souls; 
so should I: Oh, what did he leave; what did he 
do; what did he suffer! Words cannot express 
the favours I receive of a heavenly kind, every 
thing my soul needs. 

"I verily believe there is not a creature upon 
the earth under such sacred obligations as myself, 
the unworthiest, and yet so blest; The blessings 
vouchsafed to my soul in this place, are worth 
millions of gold; And believe me, my dear, had 
I never received the least token for good from 
my adorable Lord; the multitude of spiritual 
blessings I see vouchsafed to others, are worth, 
indeed they are, and ten million times more, all 
the labour, all the expense, thou hast bestowed 

here. 

Be strong, my dear Thomas, be strong in the 
Lord; We are acting in his name! He is with us, 
and will stand by us; Great power my God gives 
me over the spirits of men here: Is it not written 
in Hebrews, 'Out of weakness were made strong, 
waxed valiant in fight, put to flight the armies of 
the aliens.*' 

Concerning opening the chapel, she writes thus 
to her cousin Johnson: 

" I should acquaint you that the chappel is al- 
most finished. I suppose it will be quite so, next 
week; but think it best to let it get dry before we 



156 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

open it: as the weather is so cold we can meet 
as usual. I assure you it is the most pleasing place 
my eyes here behold: perhaps the tabernacle at 
Trowbridge, w r as first beheld with some of the 
same sacred emotions of gratitude, delight, and 
love. 

"But come, my dear sisters, and invite as many 
of the holy brethren as you can, to help us give a 
sacred shout, that shall make heaven rejoice, and 
hell tremble: You shall know when the day is fixed. 
Many here will end beds : some say, ' They 
will sit up all night themselves, rather than there 
be not lodgings for pilgrims and strangers :' a bles- 
sed night could we have in prayer and praise. 

61 A day or two before I came here, those 
sweet words thrilled through my soul, 4 I am with 
thee! 5 It is enough, my dearest Lord, I cried: 
having thee, I possess all things, I want no 
more." 

To Mr Turner she writes thus: — 

" This is the first time I am set down at leisure 
since my dear Thomas's absence. O! how infi- 
nitely good is the Lord to me, the unworthiest of 
his creatures: He has been pleased to take from 
me every care about finishing things, and conclu- 
ding matters, against the time appointed for open- 
ing the chappel. I must not be, a cumbered 
Martha, but Mary, to be ever at the Saviour's feet: 
It is there alone I am happy: It is there alone I 
have true enjoyment! My whole heart is desiring 
his blessed company, his spiritual presence in his 
house, and that he will bless the spiritual victuals 
with increase, and 'satisfy his poor with bread, * 
on that day: He has promised, and I am sure he 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 167 

will on that day, and in future days: Glorious 
things shall be seen and felt. 

"On Sally's reading to me this morning, I was 
deeply affected with heartfelt grief and astonish- 
ment, at two things; the one that my dear Saviour, 
when in a body here upon earth, should say, 'He 
had not where to lay his head,' it made me weep; 
I breathed out my soul to him, and said, 4 He 
should have had my house for his home, if I had 
seen him destitute:' And then I asked myself, if 
I could, were I willing now to open my house to 
his members? Yes, our blessed Lord hath made 
us willing, we are my dear Thomas, through his 
strengthening us! Whatever others do, we will 
follow the lamb of God, whithersoever he goeth, 
and to whatsoever he leads us, by his Spirit, 
word, and providence! And oh: how sweetly do 
I enjoy his spiritual presence at this time! He 
is with me in my heart, or there would not be 
such delightful peace, and joy, and love. 

"The other thing which affected me, was, holy 
grief, that the Gergasenes should beseech him 
to depart out of their coasts, because they lost a 
little substance, a few swine! O my dear, what 
is worldly substance, what are earthly things, 
which are but for a moment, in comparison of 
eternity. 

"Every thing goes on wonderfully well! I 
have not the least doubt, care, nor fear, but all 
will be properly completed against the time! I 
cast every care upon my Almighty God, for I 
cannot sink, but soar! We shall have a pentecost 
blessing, my dear Thomas, a great out-pouring of 
the Spirit, our adorable Saviour's spiritual pre* 
sence with us. 



158 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

^Invite all, for my heart is opened to all, that 
love the Lord Jesus: and here is abundance of 
room! My lines are cast in a goodly place; my 
cup runs over! The Lord is my shepherd, and 
I shall want no good thing, 'no good cross, nor 
no good comfort :* My kind love to all Christian 
friends; and as many as can, bid them come: Oh, 
how sweet is my employment: My dear it was 
certainly the Lord that put it into our hearts to 
build this house, this little temple, this sanctuary, 
for the most high to dwell in! Read what Da- 
vid says, on the same most solemn occasion: He 
was a man after God's own heart, genuinely and 
zealously devoted to him, notwithstanding all his 
sins and infirmities: and by his grace and good- 
ness, he has made us so too: Be of good courage, 
my dear, the Lord has accepted us in his beloved 
Son, and all our poor services he is pleased with; 
it is our best we offer; It is inexpressible the di- 
vine pleasure I feel, the heart-cheering, soul- 
satisfying sense I feel, of the divine approbation." 

Wednesday, May the 22d, 1782, the day the 
chapel was opened, was kept holy to the Lord. 
Christians of every denomination came, according 
to those kind invitations before mentioned, with 
their respective ministers; many of whom enga- 
ged in the public services, morning, afternoon, 
and evening, either in preaching or prayer; and 
it was a time never to be forgotten. 

It is scarcely possible for persons who were 
strangers to Mrs. Turner, to conceive the joy the 
solemnities of that day afforded her. With her 
usual affability she received, and took more or 
less respectful notice of all. No hurry, confu- 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 159 

sion or distraction appeared in her, notwithstand- 
ing she had much to do: but with as much ease as 
though she was enjoying a private friend, she 
dealt out the repast of her table, morning, noon, 
and evening, between the sacred services, to 
many large companies in succession. And while 
one party was eating; others, were resounding 
the high praises of their God, through the house, 
by singing hymns in the different apartments. 

Having built and opened a temple for sacred 
service, she had the happiness of seeing a con- 
tinued increase of spiritual worshippers, and, with 
exquisite delight, spent great part of her time at 
Tisbury; using every method providence put in 
her way, to instil divine knowledge into its inha- 
bitants. 

Jan. 3, 1783, She writes thus to her cousins 
while I w r as with her — 

"In the midst of the most sacred, most beloved 
employments, I must converse with my beloved 
sisters, and acquaint them in some measure, with 
the nature of my present enjoyments. Oh, how 
good is my adorable triune God, to cause such 
great goodness to pass before me. Marvellous is 
the prosperity of the church, the spread of the 
Gospel in this place. 

"My heart is fainting at the greatness, the 
magnificence, of the works of the divine, the spi- 
ritual Solomon; The few that were first planted 
here, grow and flourish wonderfully, are bles- 
sed with such simplicity and godly sincerity, 
such holy zeal and sound minds, that they are 
neither formal nor enthusiastical! Thanks be to 
God, the Father, Son and Spirit, they are living 



160 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

witnesses in word and in action. Such power 
follows the public preaching, and such numbers 
attend, that the house is crowded; and the still- 
ness and attention is greater than even at Trow- 
bridge. 

"Their private meetings for prayer, of which 
they have two in a week; where the dear children 
of God find liberty, sweetly to supplicate the 
throne of grace, and agree touching what they 
ask, are the most blessed meetings of the kind I 
ever attended. 

"It is the best wine still at lash Who am I, 
or my father's house, that mine eyes should be- 
hold such great things! And the prospect is, of 
abundantly greater; this little cloud portends 
much greater things. 

"Mrs. W s is with me; our time is filled 

with directing inquiring souls who would flock to 
us, to behold the Lamb of God, and strengthening 
the hands of those who have already believed; so 
that we have scarcely time for our necessary 
food: — it is a little taste of heaven. 

"The good tidings first reached the hearts of 
the poor; and by the mighty power of God, they 
have been kept, each of them, adorning their 
profession. This has had a blessed effect in re- 
moving- prejudices, taking away shame, and em- 
boldening others to join them; so there is a daily 
addition made to us, and some of the sober, judi- 
cious, and sensible, of a higher class. 

"The Lord's work is carried on in the sweet- 
est and most powerful manner. The dear souls 
draw nigh to the Saviour, without fear or doubt- 
ing; and as freely confess his goodness to them 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 161 

without shame. In general, men and their wives 
are called; some, almost together— others, at 
short intervals; two or three exceptions, that yet 
bitterly persecute and oppose; but the great won- 
ders that have been wrought make us expect 
greater things. Great faith is given to these dear 
people! Surely, this is as in ancient days; as we 
have heard, so have we seen. 

"One of the workmen who were employed at 
the chapel, far gone in a consumption, sent for me 
soon after I came. I found him in the sweetest, 
calm, peaceable, loving, submissive frame of 
soul; more like a disembodied spirit, than a suf- 
fering mortal. This blessed power is the effect 
of his cleaving closely to his Saviour. He is 
taught divinely of the blessed Spirit to know no- 
thing but Jesus! I talk to him of nothing else, I 
am satisfied that is sufficient. 

"I bless the name of God, for dying witnesses, 
as well as living. O praise, praise the Lord!— 
He is worthy! He is worthy! That ever He 
should visit this dark corner of the land with the 
light of his glorious Gospel. Join me, my be- 
loved sisters, in praying it may be sent to other 
places. O, how many in this our native land are 
yet in the shadow of death! 

"At present, this appears to me the most de- 
lightful situation on earth; my cup runs over! 

'Tis heaven to rest in God's embrace; 
'And no where else but there!' 

I could end my days here, if it were the will of 
God; or if it were his blessed will, leave it the 
next moment to return no more. How good, how 
right, and, I can through grace add, how sweet to 
my soul is his will " 



162 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

Her soul seemed wedded to this happy place, 
indeed. She says in one letter — "If I have a re- 
quest to make concerning this world, it is for my 
dear husband and self, to be permitted by the Lord, 
to resort sometimes to this sweet retirement— 
from business, from bustle. In another letter, she 
thus expresses herself: — "I feel a desire, if it be 
the will of God, that my dear Thomas and I, may 
be permitted to reside much here. Not a word is 
ever spoken here about parties or opinions; no 
crying up or crying down any of the Lord's ser- 
vants, but still it is the right one that comes; the 
finest is the last, and he that stays the longest with 
them" The happy affects of this impartial loving 
spirit were "a constant growth in every grace of 
the Spirit of God, and increase in simplicity and 
godly sincerity;" as may be seen by the following 
account of their blessed state, given in a letter to 

Miss J n, in May 1783:— 

u "My beloved sister, 

"Grace, mercy and peace be ever with you; 
my heart feels most tenderly for you wherever I 
am. Great has been the goodness of God to me, 
the unworthiest of creatures. Most delightfully 
did my time glide away with the dear Christians 
at Tisbury, that garden inclosed by divine grace. 
A heavenly fragrancy is upon them; the all glorious 
Immanual is with them; this stately goings are seen 
and those precious souls are reflecting his glory. 

" The communion and fellowship I have with 
them; is in a higher degree of a purer nature; more 
spiritual, more pleasing kind, than I have enjoyed 
with any body of people before. It is such 
as I enjoy with particular persons, and with you, 
my dear sister, in an especial manner, and it is 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 163 

their simplicity and godly sincerity, makes it so 
sweet. Their hearts are right with mine; with 
united hearts, with one accord we say, 'All that 
the Lord our God, would have us believe, or do 
we pray him to teach and strengthen us to con- 
form to. 5 They object to no truth; they wish to 
be strengthened in all holy practices; they grow 
marvelously in knowledge and in love. 

"Would you think it, my dear sister; can you 
believe me? Here are some of the most enrich- 
ed souls that I know! Oh the power, the wis- 
dom, the goodness of the Lord, it is wonderfully 
displayed here! He must, he shall have all the 
glory! 

"If you can come and join us at the anniversa- 
ry of opening the chapel, it will be to the increase 
of our happiness; or if you can come after it; but 
if neither, give glory to God on our behalf! You 
know the nature of Christ's kingdom too well, to 
think we have any thing to display, any thing to 
boast of, or glory in, but God alone and the rich- 
es of his grace. But these dear people's hearts 
are so devoted, divinely illuminated, and made 
willing, wise and humble, teachable and thankful, 
that 1 cannot but speak of the Lord's goodness 
to them. 

"Oh that this blessed spirit may circulate 
through the whole church, every where, in every 
denomination, through the whole heart of every 
individual that names the name of Christ! May 
there be an universal departing from all evil; Oh 
my dear sister, 'What evil spirits are lurking 
under a profession of the Gospel, in many Chris- 
tian societies, you and I are too well acquainted 
with." 



164 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

While she was thus employed, she evidently 
appeared to her friends to be declining in her 
health, notwithstanding her spirits suffered no 
abatement. Her all-supporting, all-merciful Cre- 
ator and Redeemer, having tried her in the va- 
rious exercises she had gone through, from pro- 
fessors and profane, and finding her faithful to the 
light and grace given from above, and ripening 
apace for glory, graciously commanded the har- 
binger of death, to begin to cut the thread of her 
mortal life, and set her free from the prison of 
the body, that her soul might enjoy the liberty 
and felicity of the just made perfect, by causing 
the humours to crowd themselves into her right 
breast, and form an imposthume; which occa- 
sioned a sudden shooting and momentary acute 
pain. Some days after, it returning again in the 
, same manner, she was led to examine the part, 
and found a tumour almost as big as a pigeon's 
egg, and felt a presentiment, that it would prove 
a cancer, and be the means of her speedier remo- 
val to glory. 

Though she felt no terror at the thoughts of 
death, and found her will submissive to the will 
of God, yet she was constrained to say, with 
the apostle, C I am in a strait betwixt two,' 
whether to live, to the glory of God and the good 
of his church below, or Ho be dissolved and be 
with Christ, which is far better!' For she truly 
loved the militant church, as she expresses her- 
self in a letter to a friend, and was made to wish 
to spend and be spent a little longer on earth, for 
their sakes, if the Lord should see good; Yet, 
knowing in whom she had believed and to whom 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. J 65 

she had committed the keeping of her soul, and 
that he would restore it to God and glory, at 
the day of her departure; she felt a perfect re- 
signation to his will, and intended to leave the 
matter entirely with him. She would have 
avoided even the advice of the faculty, had not 
Mr. Turner, fearing the loss of so valuable a 
wife, insisted on her consulting some of the most 
eminent amongst them. And she, being always 
ready to oblige him, more particularly out of 
tenderness to his feelings in this case, complied; 
and upon examination it was proved a cancer. — 
This did not in the least daunt her Christ-like 
spirit: but rather made her more earnest to fill up 
the remainder of her days below entirely in the 
service of precious souls. She therefore with- 
drew as much as possible from worldly business 
in order to spend and be spent wholly for God. 

As the knowledge of her cancerous complaint 
was diffused, receipts were sent to her from all 
quarters, and generally were accompanied with 
assurances of their utility. Several friends took 
journeys to inforce their prescriptions, which 
they thought infallible, by arguments founded on 
her duty to her husband, her family, and the 
church of God, to which in so many places she 
was a nursing mother. But they only distressed 
her generous mind; she finding herself under a 
necessity to refuse the use of one and all. 

The plain path of duty, pointed out to her from 
the first discovery of the disorder, was, to com- 
ply with the request of her husband, and leave 
the event to God. 

To her surgeon and physician, she was pro- 
perly free to communicate the various changes of 



166 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

her constitution, and the progressive advances of 
the cancer; but to the inquiry of friends in gene- 
ral, replied, in a very familiar way, that 'she had 
as much ease or pain, as her heavenly Father saw 
fit for her.' She saw it her duty, and obtained 
by prayer, fortitude sufficient for it; to suffer in 
patient silence: and when her husband or a friend 
present would say to her, <I fear you are in a 
great deal of pain;' she would answer, 4 A little, 
not too much. 5 

Thus she writes on the occasion to Mr. Turner, 
October 1783. 

"I praise God, who preserved my beloved hus- 
band: My heart felt much at leaving you exposed 
to so much danger. After I parted from you, I 
greatly regretted I had not followed the chaise a 
mile or two, to see how you went on: but we 
must walk by faith and not by sight. 

"I was enabled to commend you to the Al- 
mighty, considering, danger and safety is as he 
permits, and as is his blessed will; so here is 
fresh cause for a song of praise. 

" I have had very little pain in my breast since; 
beg you will not have the least apprehension, for 
the Lord has given me to trust in him as my phy- 
sician, and Oh, how able, how willing is he to 
help: It is better to trust in him, than in men or 
means: Faith is his gift: Glory be to his adorable 
majesty, he has been pleased to give it me, vile 
as I am, and weak as I am: I can trust in him 
with the greatest confidence and without fear: I 
am in good health of body, and happy in my 
soul; no evil occurrence is permitted to happen. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 167 

In the same spirit of resignation she writes to 
Miss E. J- — n, Nov. 17, 1773, after consulting 
a surgeon and finding it to be a confirmed can- 
cer: — 

"Oh what am I, or what is my father's house, 
that I should be so blest, with blessings of the 
upper and nether springs; The love of my dear 
Saviour, and the love of his dear people, is so 
manifested to my soul, that it changes my present 
state here upon earth, into a little epitome, like- 
ness to, yea, a degree of heaven. 

"Thank you, my dearest sister, for your sweet 
affectionate letter; it was a delightful cordial to 
me! I do pray, from my heart, that the will of 
the Lord may be done in me, and that my present 
affliction may be sanctified: and, I bless his name 
I feel it is. This world does lesson in my sight, 
I do die daily to things present. 

"I know there is no evil but sin; nothing that I 
should fear but that, yet, my beloved sister, my 
nature shrinks and recoils at the thoughts of ex- 
traction; about which, as my friends are so nu- 
merous, you may guess I have an abundance, of 
kind, well-meant loving advice; I make a point 
never to ask opinions, or to inquire after symp- 
toms of those who have had cancers. At present, 
knowledge of this kind might be hurtful, and 
could not be useful, as it is not a case that I can 
help myself in, otherwise than by strictly observ- 
ing and adhering to the advice of my physician, 
and looking up to my God for a blessing; but, as 
I was saying, until this morning, my nature 
dreaded the pain of extraction; for my dear hus- 
band is now much discouraged, from what one 



168 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

and another says to him; that, unless he can give 
me up to die a most frightful, painful death, and 
that perhaps soon, it must be extracted; You see, 
my dear, it is his tenderness, and the call is very 
clear to me, to give myself up with the most 
dutiful subjection, to his and Mr. C n's ad- 
vice. 

" This morning, whether sleeping or waking, 
I am not certain; but, i I had such a sight and 
sense of my dear Saviour's sufferings, and the pain 
that he felt, when his tender delicate feet and hands 
were nailed to the cross, with rough, rusty, large 
nails driven through them, as if he were unfeeling 
wood, by cruel malicious enemies; and all this for 
me, to make me happy, to save me even from fear: 
as I cannot express!' He bids me take no thought, 
be careful for nothing; promises strength accord- 
ing to my day, that his grace shall be sufficient 
for me; so that I am filled with heavenly peace! 
Farewell" 

On the Christmas following she was seized with 
a violent fever. Her life was thought to be in 
great danger; and from the different courses it 
took, the hopes and fears of her family and friends 
were in constant exercise. 

Prayer was made without ceasing, it was by 
many the prayer of faith; and, according to their 
hope and expectation, it availed; For my own 
part, I never was so drawn out to pray for any 
one's lifejbefore; I did not, till then, feel liberty to 
desire that my Christian friends should be kept in 
the body's prison, longer than the Lord should in 
general see good; But on this occasion, I had such 
precedents from scripture brought to my mind, of 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 169 

the Lord's putting such cries in the hearts of his 
people, with a view to answer them; that I was 
emboldened to wrestle with him, like Jacob of 
old, and to say, I would not let him go without a 
token for good: At the same time I felt as strong 
desires, that the prolonging her days below, 
might be to the full and complete purification of 
her soul, and that she might be made perfectly 
and completely whole; and be brought into all the 
heights and depths, of light, life, love and puri- 
ty, that it was possible for saints to enjoy in the 
body. 

After this fever a pleurisy seized her, in which 
few of her friends expected her life; yet were 
they still led to wrestle with the Lord for it: 
When brought to the mouth of the grave, she 
had a conviction, and spake it very unreservedly, 
that it was not a sickness unto death, by a verse 
from scripture sent home to her heart with a pow- 
erful impression, that "she should yet live to be 
further useful to the church, ministers and people 
of God." 

She was kept in such sweet peace, all the time 
of her illness, with her mind unremittingly stayed 
on the promises of God, that it was most anima- 
ting and delightful to see her! And there was 
suuh a constant sweet solemnity upon her spirit, 
and so much of the presence of God, felt -in her 
sick chamber, that it was like being in the holy of 
holies; and brought these lines of Dr. Young fre- 
quently to my mind — 

u The sick-bed of the just is privileged, 
Beyond the common walk of virtuous life; 
Just in the verge of heaven!" 

s 



1 70 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

The profane, if he entered the chamber, could 
not but draw near with awe! No conversation 
but what was truly spiritual, w r as carried on 
there— indeed, no one spake, but herself, more 
than what was absolutely necessary: So watch- 
ful and attentive were an affectionate nurse and 
assistants to our dear friend, that the motion of 
the head, or hand, commanded every thing; by 
this means every degree of renewed strength was 
preserved. 

Would it not be well, if this conduct in treat- 
ing the sick were universally adopted? For not- 
withstanding Mrs. Turner wished to see every 
Christian friend, of every denomination, who 
was desirous of being admitted to her; yet they 
were silent in her presence, unless called to speak 
of spiritual things, to read or pray by Tier: and 
only shewed their love by attending to the gra- 
cious words that flowed from her lips, full of love 
to God, and to his people: And as a divine influ- 
ence accompanied all she said, at that time; so 
she had strength given her from on high, some- 
times, to speak for ten minutes together, without 
w r eariness to her weak frame, while unprofitable 
talk would make her just ready to faint: And 
when, fearful of exhausting her own strength, she 
desired a friend to improve a long and sacred si- 
lence, by reading aloud some portion of scripture; 
there was generally such an unction of the Spirit 
of God resting on both speaker and hearers, as 
is easier felt than described. 

This visitation held two months: at the expira- 
tion of which time, she was so far restored, as 
to be .capable of seeing company and taking a lit- 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. Hi 

tie air. Her first visit was to her best friend: In 
his house, and in the presence of all his people^ 
she paid the vows she had made, and bore testi- 
mony that God is love, even when he most afflicts 
his people. 

As soon as her strength would permit, she vi- 
sited her beloved Tisbury; and began to think of 
means by which she might introduce the Gospel 
into the adjacent towns and villages. Her friends 
most cordially congratulated her on her recove- 
ry: but she gave them to understand, from the 
rapid progress the cancer was now making, that 
she should be an inhabitant of this world but a 
little while longer, and therefore was desi- 
rous to keep eternity in view, to be as much dis- 
engaged from temporal concerns as possible, and 
wholly to devote the residue of her days to the 
Lord: She spent the most of her time at Tisbu- 
ry, from whence she writes as follows to Mr. 
Turner: — 

"I hope my beloved reached home, and found 
all well. May every blessing, spiritual and tem- 
poral, be increased and multiplied to thy dear 
self, and family! Mayest thou be abundantly 
blest for lending me to the Lord! And may I 
ever consider the vows that are upon me; the sa- 
credness of my obligations; and be more and more 
devoted to his service! I am not my own; am 
bought with a price, most precious and invalua- 
ble. 

" When you and your two companions left me, 
yesterday, I felt myself bereaved of my greatest 
earthly good: butwentto my adorable, all-suffi- 
cient God, begged him to take care of and bless 



172 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

you both, and make up your loss to me; and he 
has, he does; I fee! you intimately near: I love 
you more dearly, I enjoy you more than ever; 
have much delight in praying for— thou best f 
kindest, tenderest of husbands. 

"But I forget that if I do not talk a little about 
my body,thy affectionate heart will feel and fear 
somethings bad: I enjoy great ease; have had an 
exceeding good night, more sleep than common. 

"Saturday — Another good night to be thank- 
ful for, and a well-day: my breast is remarkably 
easy: almost the whole day in the garden. I 
thank God, for the good tidings of your letter: 
My dearly beloved in the Lord, be of good cheer: 
we shall, even in time, be blessed together more 
than we have ever yet been! My late useful ne- 
cessary afflictions, are only to teach and instruct 
me. Blessed be the Lord, I feel them for my 
good: Forgive, my beloved, forgive thy poor 
penitent wife, for so often chiding, contradicting, 
and disobeying thee, not because there was occa- 
sion for it, but because, it crossed and thwarted 
my self-will. 

"I believe the complaint in my breast will be 
still useful, never dreadful. You may justly say, 
'it appears not the more frightful to me as it in- 
creases, but less and less so:' Do not, my beloved, 
have an anxious thought about me; I know I 
am interested in such blessed promises of an Al- 
mighty Saviour, that 4 cannot fear any thing, but 
sin:'" In another letter to the same she writes 
thus: — 

"I have had a good night; am much refreshed 
by sleep; made a good breakfast; and hare had 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 173 

but little pain in my breast. Have had a new 
convert to converse with this morning, a very 
precious woman: and have heard of another. 

"Poor Jenny B 's window by her bedside 

is so shattered, that the snow beats in upon her 
bolster; the wind blowing away the bits of paper 
and rags, and she has taken a violent cold. There 
must be a new window-frame for this family of 
heaven, over whom we have the honor and hap- 
piness to be made stewards! Mr. W and 

daughter, and Jenny and B likewise, as they 

are not able to pay any rent, and thou art apt to 
be unbelieving, I sent thee a promissory-note to 
pay their rent. 

It is not the note of a common man, it is not 
the note of a king, that may grow poor, witness, 
the Babylonian monarch; but of the Almighty, 
Everlasting, Ever-faithful Jehovah, spoken by 
his Spirit In man. 4 He that hath pity on the poor, 
lendeth to the Lord; and behold, whatsoever he 
doth, it shall be repaid him again! 1 You will find 
it in the Proverbs by the help of the concord- 
ance." 

In another letter she speaks thus: 

"My dear Thomas, 

"With gratitude to God! 1 can assure you, my 
health of body increases very much, since the 
weather has been warmer. The catching of my 
breath is much abated, almost gone; and the in- 
ward soreness I have felt since my illness, is re- 
moving apace. It is astonishing to me how much 
my health has improved these two days, it ap- 
pears to myself almost miraculous! My breast, I 



174 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

do think, is better, as my health increases, my 
strength returns." 

And it was wonderful to see, that so soon after 
such an illness, and with an increasing confirmed 
cancer in her breast, she should be enabled to 
exert herself so much in the cause of God as she 
did: by talking, writing to, and instructing, by 
precept and example, many new and old profes- 
sors of the Gospel; and, walking, sometimes, five 
or six miles on a day for their benefit. 

She was enabled likewise to celebrate another 
anniversary of opening the chapel atTisbury: and 
to exert herself, as usual, to the glory of God, and 
the profit, instruction, and comfort of her visit- 
ants on the occasion. June 1784, she writes to 
me thus: — 

"My beloved sister, 

"I wrote to you from hence a few weeks ago, 
acquainting you with the great ease of body and 
peace of mind, our adorable God is pleased to 
bless me with; and which, I must add, he is 
pleased to continue and increase! May I be de- 
voted to his divine will, to his blessed delightful 
service, as much as a human creature can! His 
will, his law, is my delight. 

"Great peace I am favoured with, and nothing 
but sin doth offend me: 'The place of my defence 
is, the munition of rocks: my bread is given me, 
my water is sure!' Fear does not come nigh me: 
unless it be the fear of sinning against my ever- 
blessed and adorable God, who is pleased to call 
a worm, his friend, to call himself my God, my 
husband, brother, father: I have nothing to do on 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 175 

earth, but to glorify him for his great goodness! 
I only desire to live, that I may live to him; or 
move, but to his praise; 'for me to live is Christ, 
to die is gain." 

Speaking of an illness with which I was af- 
flicted at that time, she says, "My dear sister, 
you well know, 'whom the Lord loveth he chas- 
teneth. 5 The beloved Son, our adorable Saviour, 
how did he suffer, how was he afflicted: What 
did he feel, that our afflictions might be sancti- 
fied, made salutary to our souls! Cleave to him, 
my sister, open your whole heart to him! He 
invites you; he will bless you yet more and more! 
He will bless the house of Israel, he will biess 
the house of Aaron! Dear Mr. Sloper preached 
from these words, in tfie afternoon of the anniver- 
sary: Mr. Parsons senior, from Bath, in the 
morning, on 'the great trumpets being blown at 
the jubilee:' and Mr. Clark, in the evening, from, 
'I am the way." 

"We had eleven dear ambassadors of Christ; 

and the Rev. Mr. C s came in the evening, 

and made the number twelve. It was a glorious, 
most delightful day, the sweetest anniversary! — 
What, I must not say where, will my next be? — 
Whether it be on earth, or in heaven, I shall be 
glad to have my dear friends with me." 

The Lord's day following this festival, of 
keeping the anniversary of opening the chapel at 
Tisbury, two of the ministers remaining with 
her, she saw an opportunity put into her hand, of 
carrying the Gospel to Hindon; and thus she 
speaks of it in the same letter: — 



1T6 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

" The Rev. Mr. C s and Mr. Surman, re- 
mained here the succeeding Lord's Day. As 
we had a spare minister, we likewise had power 
given us, in the name and strength of Jesus, to 
carry the precious Gospel to Hindon, notorious 
Hindon, wicked to a proverb! Previous to it, 
we sent a messenger to inform the people, that 
a clergyman would come on the ensuing sabbath, 
at any time of the day that would not interfere 
with the church service, and at any place they 
should appoint. Many said, yea all she spoke 
to, said, 4 they were glad of it.' One woman 
said, i she hoped it would do her wicked sons 
good, as it had Henry Snook,' with whom one 
of them worked, and of whom she remarked, 
that c though he was once so wicked, yet now, 
there was not a profane word dropt from his 
lips.' The time appointed, was' half after one, 
we likwise published it at our Saturday even- 
ing's meeting here. 

" I had a chaise from Hindon to carry the 

Rev. Mr. C s, myself and maid: and we 

were accompanied by two brethren on horse- 
back, and a numerous train of friends from 
hence. Some, that were only w r ell-wishers to 
us, said, 4 they would go to take our parts:' for 
knowing Hindon to be such an abandoned wick- 
ed place, the people here thought w T e should be 
cruelly treated. 

"But the quietness and attention of the peo- 
ple was astonishing, notwithstanding the preach- 
ing was in the open street! Their number, al- 
most the whole town, assembled in about five 
minutes! Their good behaviour; the soft and 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 177 

sweet spirit of the heavenly messenger; and the 
tenderness, and heavenly love, conveyed in his 
message of the prodigal son; and his insisting 
more particularly on the father's readiness to 
receive him; the calmness of my own spirit, 
were beyond description delightful! as well as 
the divinely powerful prayers, and harmonious 
singing! Praise the Lord my dear friend, all 
glory belongs to him. 

" Yesterday, my soul was almost enraptured, 
with the account of several that wept, and could 
not sleep at night: not only weak women, as the 
world phrase it, but stout hearted men; it is the 
Lord's doing; it is marvellous in our eyes. 

44 Betty Sanders, fearing your illness might be 
unto death, wished me to engage ministers for 

A n; but it must be left to the head of the 

church, whose goings shall be seen in the sanc- 
tuary: who walks amidst his golden candle- 
sticks, and 4 sends by whom he will send!' Ve- 
ry few ministers have put their names for Tisbu- 
ry: but as my trust is in the Lord, I have no 
more fear, than I should if the book were filled 
with names! It is all known to the great direc- 
tor, and his book of providence must be read by 
us." 

I mention this latter part of her letter, to pre- 
serve her remark; which is very weighty, and 
shews the strength of her confidence. Were 
that confidence always reposed in God by his 
creatures, and his providence more minutely ob- 
served, with a design to have our faith strength- 
ened in his promises, we should escape much 
unnecessary perplexity, and our peace, like a 
8* 



1J8 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

river, would flow uninterruptedly. Fop want of 
this confidence, we know, by experience, that 
" fear which hath torment." 

Notwithstanding Mrs. Turner's occasional in- 
tervals of ease, and such refreshments as she 
speaks of in her letters, her disorder was insen- 
sibly increasing; nor was she longer able to 
conceal its progress from her most dearly belov- 
ed relative, but was obliged to confess that it 
did not appear to amend; as in the following 
letter, dated, May the 3d, 1784: 

" As it would make my beloved hushand hap- 
py, I wish I could say, I was confident my 
breast was better; but at times, think it is, and 
sometimes that it is not. 1 ' In another letter to 
him, she says, — "Oh my dear, it is better to 
trust in the Lord, than to put. any confidence in 
man; what can man do without the divine bless- 
ing? and that can do every thing without the 
help of man. 

" Give me up to God: not only leave me, but 
give me to be employed in any thing, and done 
with as he pleases; and you will taste the sweet- 
est felicity. How can I ask for health and 
strength, but to use it to his glory; and now I can, 
I do, humbly tell him, 'I cannot serve him, un- 
less he is pleased to strengthen me.' " 

Mr. Turner's mother being seized with the 
small pox, was to this most affectionate and best 
of wives, a call in providence to return to Trow- 
bridge. A servant was infected with the same 
disorder; these were objects of close attention to 
her. The exertions she used, and the fatigues she 
underwent so overcame her weak decaying frame, 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 179 

that she was obliged to return again to Tisbury, 
for a little relaxation and change of air. But at 
the same time, felt a desire to be a sharer in her 
husband's toils. Thus she expresses herself on 
the occasion: 

" I want to assist you in the toils of life, my 
beloved, and to share your fatigues. I have had 
an idea this morning, of your many quick mo- 
ving wheels, to keep me, a larger, slower one, 
moving at this distance. Great fatigues, great 
weight, great care fall upon you all; each mem- 
ber of the family that faithfully discharges his 
trust, may God bless with every token of his 
special favour. I am bound to love and pray for 
you, which I constantly do." In another letter 
she writes thus: 

w My breast has been, for some days, uncom- 
monly easy; and I never had such a degree of 
pain as to render my situation uncomfortable. 

" I am still the most favoured of creatures, and 
at this time'fcel myself the most unprofitable, 
can do so little for the glory of my God, and that I 
do, I do so ill, I am the most ignorant, awkward, 
foolish child; have deep, humbling views of my- 
self, but most exalted ones of my adorable God. 
His goodness to me is inexpressible. 

" The dear people here are still greatly bless- 
ed; the work widens and deepens in many 
hearts, and I am much blest with them, notwith- 
standing their trials and temptations. 

"My dear nieces, Eliza and Frances C k 

will give you a journal, so I forbear; but I must 
tell you ' they are the sweetest, simplest, most 
devoted souls I ever knew, of their age: they 



180 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

shame me, whilst I am thankful for them. 5 I de- 
sire to follow them, as they follow Christ. Not 
once have they spoken the least offensive word; 
their Christian wisdom and humility is admira- 
ble, and their charity. May you, my beloved, 
enjoy them as I have, adieu. Come soon as 
you can and visit 

Your ever loving 

Joanna Turner. 5 * 
Her disorder began now to make a rapid pro- 
gress, and her strength to decline apace. Know- 
ing the strength of Mr. Turner's affection, and 
the tenderness of his disposition, she chose to 
conceal it as long as possible from him; yet to 
a bosom friend, whom she knew to be strong in 
the Lord, and able to bear losses with fortitude, 
she speaks freely on her case. In a letter to her 
most valuable, and greatly beloved companion 
in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of 

Jesus Christ, Miss J n, she writes thus, just 

before she made her last visit to Tisbury. 

" My beloved sister, 

" My dear husband acquianted you that we 
reached home safe. I bore the journey as well 
as I could expect. Blessed be the Lord, I am com- 
fortably easy this day; have had considerable 
pains since I left you, but think I am mending 
again, having lost my fever and regained my ap- 
petite, in a great measure. 

" Thus far I wrote, intending to send by Vale 
on Friday, but was prevented by necessary busi- 
ness. Monday morning. 

u My maid was yesterday enabled, for the 
first time since the small pox, to visit the Lord's 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 181 

house at the two o'clock meeting, to return her 
public thanks; nor does she appear to have ta- 
ken cold. 

" Yesterday, I reflected much on our heavenly 
Father's gracious dealings with us, in the afflic- 
tive dispensations of his providence. Very few 
of his own most blessed days, have our whole 
family attended at his house, since the com- 
mencement of the year 1784. Before this date, 
since my dear husband's union with me, we and 
our household have had almost constant opportu- 
nities of worshipping together on his day, and 
the greatest part of them, on every other occa- 
sion; 'Bless the Lord, O our souls; and all that is 
within us, bless his holy name! 5 " 

" And now, my beloved, I find my outward 
man growing weak, perhaps decaying. I may 
grow stronger, but I know I must leave the dear 
militant church, to which I am most sincerely 
and affectionately united, with a little degree of 
heavenly union. I feel no shyness, no straitness, 
to any of those blessed souls, who are led by the 
spirit, according to the divine word; I am one 
with them, as they are one with my adorable 
Lord. 

" I feel lan inexpressible union already, with 
the saints in glory; and equally the same to 
those, known or unknown, in the body. Their 
nearness to my Lord, their likeness to him, seems 
the strongest tie, the most powerful attractive 
tome; as well to those on earth, as to those in 
heaven. 

"My adorable Lord blesses me more than 
ever. I have, for some years, been longing to 



182 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

enjoy him, and to be more weaned from earth; 
not to grow discontented, nor unhappy: not pi- 
ning after, nor even desiring heaven, contrary to 
his blessed will. 

" O how good he is in himself tome, at times! 
He is love: most loving to me in all his dealings. 
My soul has, for these twenty years, adored 
him as a God of love; tasted the constant sweet- 
ness of being accepted in the beloved: and now 
the best wine runs at last, my cup runs over. 
He strengthens me according to my day; so 
richly supplies, so sweetly supports me. He 
manifests himself to me in every character, in 
every capacity, in every time of need. I trust 
alone in Him; he permits me, he invites me. 

" The other morniner I awoke delightfully 
with these words, 4 Call upon me in the day of 
trouble, and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt 
glorify me!' Not once am I deprived of the 
means of grace, of visiting the Lord's house. 
Early and late meetings do I attend, through his 
strengthening me, without fear of harm; con- 
verse with friends as usual, and visit as much as 
I can. 

"Never, never, I think, had any a more bless- 
ed dismission from earth; for I must tell you, my 
beloved sister, that my most profitable, most use- 
ful disorder, at present, increases much, both in 
pain and in size. But as my adorable Lord in- 
creases my strength in proportion, it is not, nor 
do I believe it ever will be, hard to be borne. 
He will * never leave nor forsake me!' 

" On Wednesday, my dear husband purposes 
taking me, and our dear visiters, M , and 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER, 183 

Miss R t, to Tisbury. If I should find bene- 
fit from the air, I shall stay there two or three 
weeks; but if not, will return with them, and 
continue with my dear family at Trowbridge. 

11 Wherever T am, I shall be happy to see you. 
God will support you according as you require. 

" I beg you will take care of your bodily 
health. 1 see it a greater duty than ever; 
though I have not the least reflection to make on, 
nor consciousness of ever neglecting myself. It 
is His heavenly will; 'All is peace and harmony 
within. 5 

"Farewell, my best beloved sister. What 
have we enjoyed together on earth; but what ia 
it all to what we shall enjoy together in heaven, 
and to all eternity?' 

"I am often asked the question, 'Whether we 
shall know one another in heaven?' and I con- 
stantly see it right to answer with the greatest 
readiness, yes. Grace, mercy and peace, rest 
constantly upon you, continually prays 
" Your affectionate 

"J. Turner/' 

It evidently appears from this letter, as well 
as from the hints she occasionally dropped, and 
the exceeding great spirituality of her frame, 
that she knew the time of her departure was at 
hand. 

She paid her last visit to Tisbury; and in the 
following poem, we see what were her feelings 
at parting with one of the best and most beloved 
of husbands; notwithstanding she was made wil- 
ling to submit to the loss of his company, so fre- 
quently, and for so long a time together, for the 
sake of being useful to precious souls. 



184 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

Tisbury, Sept. 1784. 

" Till crooked turnings took thee from my sight, 

My much loved T , I watch'd thee with delight 

Preserve him, O my God, with tenderest care; 
Let man and beast thy kind protection share! 
Blest comforter, descend into his breast, 
And sweetly sooth his feeling heart to rest: 
Inspire and animate his precious soul, 
And every jar in nature, now control! 
How easy this, my God, for thee to do; 
Give but thyself, and all things we let go 
In sweet submission to thy sacred will; 
Yet thy dear gifts we love for thy sake still! 
We love each other, and shall ever love; 
'Tis God's command, and sure he must approve! 
O favor'd creatures we, to be so blest, 
On earth to have so large a share of rest; 
Blessed in each other, and by Godcarest! 

Let us, my love, in strict obedience live, 
And our wholeselves to our dear Jesus give, 
To save, to use, to order as he please! 
This is the happy way to live in ease. 
By blest experience, this I know full well, 
And with delight, my blest experience tell, 
Myself the happiest mortal now on earth, 
An heir of glory, by my heavenly birth, 
And having Christ, with him, I all possess; 
Am happy, rich and full, he doth so bless! 
Sure, in a goodly place my lines are cast: 
My cup runs o'er; of heavenly joys I taste! 
So much of heaven, while here, vouchsaf'd to me, 
Think you, my dear, I shall such glory see 
When dull mortality is chas'd away, 
And my clogg'd spirit parted from its clay, 
As those whose life to suifering was a prey? 
The blessed, joyful, holy change to ftp 
Will be amazing only in degree! 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 185 

If I conceive aright, the suffering throng, 

Will more enjoy, and sing a loftier song! 

None, more than I, have greater cause to praife, 

My bursting heart shall Ebenezers raise! 

Where'er I sit, where'er I rove abroad, 

] ever find a present smiling God! 

Jesus, Immanuel, Mediator, near, 

God reconciled, these names forbid my fear, 

Heav'n, earth, is mine! O how a worm can boa*t! 

Nor fear attacks from a whole hellish host, 

While I on Jesus still alone rely, 

Obey my God, and sinful self deny!" 

The following letter to Mr. Turner, will des- 
cribe a little of that sweet submission to, and 
cheerful reliance on, the will of Providence: 
with which she was enabled to resign up herself, 
and her dear spiritual nursery at Tisbury, into 
the hands of her divine master, just before she 
took her leave of her beloved charge: 

" Thank you, my dear, dear love, for all your 
care of, all your kindness to, thy poor unworthy, 
but affectionate wife. 

" I rejoice that the Gospel greatly flourishes 
in these parts! Great is the peace, the privileges, 
we enjoy! Three from Ebsbourn, one of them a 
blessed shepherd, after he had folded his flock, 
dressed himself and came, with his two compan- 
ions to our evening preaching on Saturday, as he 
could have no preaching the next day, and re- 
turned home after it. 

The zeal, the love, the simplicity, and humility 
of the dear people there, and here, and of the 
new converts at Hindon, are most pleasing! With 
pleasure I dwell among them; with delight shall 



166 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

leave them in such a soul-prospering state, and in 
such hands, as my blessed and adorable Lord's, 
who 'doth all things well.' 

"Praised be his name, he doth still bless me 
with much sweet ease; and, sometimes, a little 
pain; but so sweetened with his loving presence 
and divine support, that my affliction seems the 
lightest, the sweetest of any I know! Glory be 
to Father, Son, and Spirit, for ever and ever.*' 

Thus did the Lord continue to bless her labours 
at Tisbury, to the last moment of her dwelling 
among them. I was with her the Christmas af- 
ter the chapel was opened, and was made truly 
glad, in seeing the grace of God prevail over the 
most self-righteous and boasting pharisees, as 
over the most loose and abandoned characters, 
who had no reputation in the world to preserve. 
And many that were particularly esteemed among 
their neighbours, for their wisdom and prudence, 
and attendance on their church and sacrament, 
were constrained to be accounted fools for 
Christ's sake, the elderly and sober men, as well 
as women and children. 

One young girl, died happy in the faith of 
Christ, in less than a year after; and exhorted all 
her friends and relations to be acquainted with, 
and to cleave closely to Christ: as the following 
extract of a letter to me from my dear deceased 
friend, will testify: — 

"Last Friday evening dear Betty M was 

buried at Tisbury: she died in the most trium- 
phant manner, said, 4 She had never so much com- 
fort in her life: that if she had all that earth could 
afford in one hand, and death ia the other, she 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 187 

would let all g^, to embrace death;' exhorted all 
about her, and sent the most solemn message to 
me! Who am I, to be thus highly favoured, thus 
loved by his dear people. 5 ' 

Another, who had been a backslider in grace, 
was brought back again; and there was great hope 
in his death. 

Women, opened their mouths sweetly in pray- 
er-meeting: and a boy, told his father, after hear- 
ing a minister preach on the duty of family-pray- 
er, that if his lather did not pray in the family, 
he must! And the boy prayed, both in the family 
and church, occasionally, from that time: and 
early in the year 1785, in the sixteenth year of 
his age, after being under the tuition of a worthy 
minister a few months only, was called forth to 
preach the Gospel; and gees on exercising his 
gift, to the satisfaction and edification of many 
serious congregations, though but eighteen. 

Mrs. Turner remarked, and it is the remark of 
the most spiritual, 'that those who keep closest to 
the private meetings, religious conversation, and 
prayer, were by far the most prosperous in their 
souls;' though these meetings are now so lightly 
esteemed by many flaming professors. 

Before she left his favoured spot, she invited 
all her sisters in the Lord, to drink tea and spend 
an afternoon with her: and showing them the rapid 
progress the cancer was making in her breast, 
she endeavoured to comfort their hearts, and en- 
courage them to put their trust in the Lord for 
help, when their creature comforts failed, by re- 
lating to them, the experience she had of his ten- 
der care and providential dealings towards her, 



188 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

from the womb to the present moment; And 
when I read a copy of these memoirs to them, I 
had the satisfaction of finding every circum- 
stance related by me, to be the same they had so 
recently received, from her own lips. 

After she had warned 'every one to flee from 
gin, holding up Jesus as the refuge to flee unto, 
and exhorted the blessed society of brethren and 
sisters, to deave unto tbe Lord and to one another, 
she returned to Trowbridge; to prepare for and 
keep the fourteenth anniversary, in commemora- 
tion of the goodness of God to the society of 
Christians in that place, of which she had been 
so useful and valuable a member. 

Divine influence, as usual, crowned the day: 
and though Mrs. Turner's speech and appearance 
were evidently altered, yet she manifested much 
cheerfulness: attended worship twicfe, and spake 
of the loving kindness of the Lord with usual con- 
fidence and earnestness. Every one was glad to 
give to, and receive from her, a token of love 
and esteem: some, in particular, were much af- 
fected with the idea, that she would not make 
one in the next annual assembly. Her remarks 
were pertinent to every hint of that nature; and 
among other things, she said, c It was immaterial 
whether she worshipped in the church- militant, 
or triumphant." 

She made a point of it to complain as little as 
posible; and not being able to give her friends the 
information they wished to receive, she continu- 
ed to be, what from the commencement of her 
disorder she had been, an example of suffering af- 
fliction, and of patiencej therefore, when any in- 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 189 

quired after her health, she would say, 'All U 
well." 

Very soon after the anniversary she took to 
her room; and a few days after, to her bed. The 
time now drew near that she must die; but 'mark 
the perfect, and behold the upright!' We have 
traced her through life; let us view her in death. 
She discovered more of submission than of rap- 
ture. 

These are some of the sayings which dropped 
from her lips: 

CC I have had a pleasing passage through life, 
and have cast anchor'- whether prevented from 
finishing the sentence, we cannot tell: but we 
presume she would have added, c on Christ Jesus.' 

When she was asked, 'If she was happy?' she 
replied, l I am not in rapture; but I enjoy constant 
peace." She was much affected with the prayers 
and tears of her surrounding friends on earth, and, 
by way of apology, said, c My passions are touch- 
ed, feeling for those I love!' On another occasion, 
she said, 'Religion is love, and I do love my God; 
yet, T wish I could love him more." 

Addressing herself to Mr. Turner, she said, 
•Take care of your health, my love, and cleave 
unto the Lordi' And to Mr. Clark, her pastor, 
she said, 'I commend to you the cause of Christ; 
and wish you to remember Tisbury: you know, I 
am nothing; that is my funeral text : I have constant- 
ly felt myself to be, nothing in myself: my mean- 
ing is, to give c All the glory to God!' He, per- 
ceiving that her time on earth could not be long 1 , 
discoursed on death: she said, 'She considered 
death as a duty she owed to God, as his com- 



190 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

mand; and would desire to go through it, as every 
other duty, in obedience to his will.' Being ask- 
ed, therefore, 'If she wished to die? 1 She an- 
swered, 'No: she did not prefer death; for she 
had no reason to be weary of her kind friends on 
earth, from whom she had experienced so much 
kindness and affection; yet, she would not desire 
to choose life or death; but, to submit to the Lord, 
one thing that reconciles me to the grave is,' said 
she, 'That our dear Saviour lay there! 5 The 
physician observing that 'he expected to have 
found her weaker;' she said, 'My spirits are 
good, doctor, I am not afraid to die." 

The morning before she died, she exerted her- 
self with a holy intrepidity. Being asked, 'If 
ghe wanted any thing?' she answered, 'Having 
him, I possess all things, I am clasped in his em- 
brace! 5 By an answer so remote from the ques- 
tion designed, the frame of soul she was in, may 
be conceived of; she added, 'They might give 
her what they pleased." 

To a certain friend, she said: 'O, cleave to the 
dear Saviour, and let the world be under your 
feet!" When asked to take nourishment, she 
said, 'I have bread to eat that the world knows 
nothing of! 5 After a long silence, in which they 
thought she had been asleep, she clasped her 
hands together, saying, in an ecstacy, 'Oh! the 
majesty, the beauty, the excellence, the glory, 
the magnificence! shall I face to face, see my dear 
crucified Saviour. 5 

At another time, she said, 'I have had a long* 
ing desire for holiness, to be like my dear Sa- 
viour: but have nothing to trust to, but what he 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 191 

hath done and suffered for meP To another 
Christian friend, she said, 'The precept is sweet, 
and the promise is sweet; but above all, the pro- 
miser: I have the promiser.' 

One of her female friends, by desire, was per- 
mitted to have an interview of a few minutes with 
her, but for no longer time, on account of her ex- 
treme weakness. On asking how she did, she 
said, c It is well with me: I have peace: And the 
Lord bless you! He hath blessed you, he doth 
bless you! But give up yourself entirely to the 
Lord Jesus! He will do every thing for you!- 1 - 
Let not the cares oflife hinder you! As the fowls 
came down upon Abraham's sacrifices, he drove 
them away: so do you, drive them away." 

A little before she died, two of the shop-ser- 
vants came to the bed-side, to take leave of the 
best of mistresses, to whom she said, 'God bless 
you! open your mouths wide, and he w r ill fill 
them." She was too weak to say more! She 
desired to be lifted up in the bed: then kissed her 
servants and friends who were about her, and 
thanked them for all their kind services! She 
then said, 'By the grace of God, I am what I am, 
glory be to God." 

Her most nearly beloved female friend was 
moved to pray with her: at the close of which 
she said, 'Amen, let me kiss you!' which hav- 
ing done she went into a dose; in which she lay 
a few hours, and expired, without a groan or sigh, 
on Christmas eve, one thousand seven hundred 
and eighty-four; aged fifty-two. 

The same beloved female friend, who was 
with her at the time of her decease, speaks thus 



192 LIPB AND IM3ATH OF 

pf it in a letter to the compiler of these memoirs- 

Bristol, Jan. 28, 1785. 

"I doubt not but this labour of love will be 
greatly blessed to my dear sister's soul; as the 
reviewing my dear sister Turner's letters has 
been to me; which I could not collect to send by 
my cousin. Our correspondence has been of 
aucha standing: that my letters alone will make 
a volume: however, some of them, hope soon to 
send by way of Trowbridge to you. 

"All I read, hear, or think of her, greatly en- 
dears her to me; and makes me humbly pray for 
'like precious faith' with hers. The spirit she 
was in through her whole illness, spake more than 
all or any words could do.' All I can say of it 
is, 'It was perfect peace, perfect patience, per- 
fect love; there never appeared a moment's inter- 
mission, nor one instance or defect." 

Another spiritual friend of the established 
church, testified, 'He received such a divine 
anointing from the Lord in company with her, a 
few days before she died, that he felt the bless- 
ing on his soul, for a whole fortnight: such a 
sweet union and communion between their spirits, 
as he had not words to express! And something 
of this kind, every spiritual person could say, 
who had been blest with her truly divine con- 
versation. 

Her characteristic, according to the testimony 
of a very spiritual clergyman, was, 'She was 
clad with the garment of praise, and was of a quick 
understanding in the fear of the Lord." 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 193 

All truly spiritual people, of every name or 
persuasion, rank or degree among men, felt gen- 
erally, that unction of the Holy One in her com- 
pany and conversation, that was seldom to be met 
with in Christians of narrow views and party spi- 
rits, bigotted to their own particular opinions in 
non-essential points. For she used to say, 
'There was an excellence peculiar to every de- 
nomination of spiritual people, worth imitating: 
and thus sucking honey from every flower, she 
became herself such a store house of spiritual 
sweets, from whence all, that would hearken to 
her wisdom, might receive plentifully the precious 
soul-nourishing food of Gospel milk and honey: in- 
somuch that many came miles to hear her wis- 
dom, and could say, with the queen of Sheba 
concerning Solomon, tli&t 'the half had not been 
told them.' 

She was highly esteemed and honoured by min- 
isters of every persuasion: some of whom are not 
backward to acknowledge, that by her they learn- 
ed the way of God more perfectly. And she highly 
esteemed them in love for their work's sake, 
honouring them as the ambassadors of Christ, 
and her house and purse were ever open to sup- 
ply their wants. If they were in straitened cir- 
cumstances, whether spiritual or temporal, and 
she knew it, she esteemed it her privilege to do 
all in her power to relieve them; by wrestling 
with the Lord in prayer for their spiritual relief, 
and opening her hand for the supply of their tem- 
poral necessities. And it is remarkable that she 
has been more than ordinarily impressed with a 
desire to impart, unsolicited, when the case of 
9 



194 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

some good man has been more than ordinarily 
distressing. 

She seldom suffered a Christian, whether in a 
public or private capacity, to leave her company 
without prayer; for which her spiritual and edi- 
fying conversation was a suitable preparative. — 
If they appeared backward to the exercise, she 
would press it upon them by every weighty con- 
sideration; would so enforce the word of God 
concerning acknowledging him in all their ways, 
and being willing to be accounted vile in the sight 
of the world, and the Michals of Israel, for God's 
sake, that they have been constrained to try their 
gift; and while in the act, they have been so 
helped and strengthened by her secret aspira- 
tions, that they have often rose from their knees, 
surprised at the liberty given them from the 
Lord. 

The young, the old, the careless, and the for- 
mal, have been led to discover the beauty and 
excellence of true vital religion, by her conver- 
sation and deportment. Several gay young per- 
sons have been melted down into tears of repent- 
ance before her, and received the most teachable 
disposition of soul: which she has cherished and 
nursed up, till they have been brought into the 
liberty of the Gospel, and proved valuable mem- 
bers of society. 

She used to teach her pupils to serve God, not 
only on Lord's days, by hearing the word, and 
prayer, and resting from bodily labour, but to 
serve him likewise all the week: in their families, 
by social, and in their trade and calling, by men- 
tal prayer. And soon as they had learned their 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 195 

duty to God and man, she exhorted them to put 
in practice what they knew. For 'those that 
were faithful to the little light and grace given, 5 
she said, 'should yet have more light and grace, 
and be made rulers over many things, as tlTe 
scriptures testify: but those who had itching ears, 
and were more fond of hearing than doing,' she 
compared to those the apostle speaks of, who are 
ever learning, and never able to come to the 
knowledge of the truth.' 

She did not, like the pharisees, lay heavy bur- 
thens on the shoulders of others, which she did 
not touch with one of her fingers: for she was a 
remarkable pattern of honest industry in the du- 
ties of her calling; as is observable from the pre- 
ceeding pages. 

She was one of the most affectionate, faithful, 
obliging and industrious wives: and not only so, 
but she was a spiritual friend and comforter to 
Mr. Turner, as may be seen by many of her 
papers and journals, in one of which she writes 
thus: 

"But above all things, my dear husband, may 
you be enabled to be continually looking unto Je- 
sus, the author, the finisher of our faith; to adore 
him for mercies numerous received, and to trust 
him for what is to come. 

"Oh my dear Thomas, are all the great things 
God hath done for our souls, little, mean, or 
nothing in our esteem, and not deserving of 
praise? Shall we not say, c Jesus thou son of 
David, have mercy on us; 1 smite upon our breasts, 
and exclaim, 'Lord be merciful to me a sinner 5 
because we cannot say, 'My Redeemer is mine, I 



196 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

know that he liveth?' Shall we not venture at 
his feet, and lie as poor sinners still? Yes: bless- 
ed be his name, we will! and he has promised, 
'He will in no wise cast out!" 

" c O ye of little faith, wherefore did ye doubt?' 
My dearest fellow traveller, 'Let not thy heart 
be troubled, neither let it be afraid! Ye believe 
in God, believe also in Jesus!' that 'He suffered 
the just for the unjust; for whosoever will, for 
all that come unto him, to 'seek and to save them 
that are lost, 5 for the vilest of the vile, the very 
chief of sinners! Why not then, for Thomas 
and Joanna Turner? There are none more unde- 
serving! but grace, how free! mercy how sove- 
reign. 

"God is love, my dear husband, and he is 
faithfulness itself! Think you, he bids us seek 
his face in vain? If it were not so, he would 
have told us! Will he spurn us to hell, for lying 
at his dear feet the remainder of our days, which, 
glory be to his grace, is the desire of our souls? 
It can never be, whatever Satan suggests, he is 
our enemy and will lie to distress you: He lies in 
wait to deceive poor sinners, who are convinced 
of sin, and desire to see Jesus, not out of curi- 
osity, but to venture their souls upon him alone 
for salvation: But such souls as these, are safe, 
are blessed: such shall be with Christ, where he 
is, to behold his glory' There, my fellow-heir, 
shall we be: We, that are owned, called, and to 
whom the promises are made: There we shall 
possess boundless bliss, and everlasting hallelu- 
jahs." 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 197 

"In another letter, dated Dec. 13, 1773, she 
exercises her poetical talents in the same spirit, 
to remove doubts and fears from his anxious mind. 

Why my dear husband, why these doubts and fears, 
These great complainings, all this load of eares? 
Leave, leave it all, to thy dear loving Lord! 
See, what is written, in his holy word, 
One thing is needful: choose that better part: 
Take him for thine, and give him thy whole heart. 

"Then, all things shall be added which are good, 
Health, wisdom, raiment, and thy daily food: 
Light, life, and strength, from him thou shalt receive! 
'Tis truth my dear: O that thou didst believe. 
Look not to self: no strength from thence can flow; 
Jesus alone, all blessings can bestow, 
Oh love him, love him with thy noblest pow'rs! 
Would he thus bless us, if he were not ours? 
Bow, bow before him, in the lowest dust! 
Almighty Jesus: holy, good and just; 
, Thee we adore, for helping hitherto; 
And have thy promise that thoul't bring us thro* 
This howling wilderness; this place of tears. 
O Saviour, pardon all our guilty fears; 
Wash the misgivings of our hearts away, 
And let thy love appear, as bright as day. 

"I see thy heart, my blessed dearest Lord, 
Love to poor sinners: Oh the cheering word: 
Can love withhold what is for real good? 
Dear Thomas, what a truth: How understood; 
Thou know'stit well; art taught it from above 
To bear my faults; yet constantly to love! 

"Oh that my heart a grateful song could raise, 
Taste the stream sweet; but give the fountain praise: 

"But to my duty, in that state of life 
In which I'm plac'd: Farewell! 

Thy loving wife, 

"Joanna Turner. " 



198 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

In a letter to the same from Bristol she writes 
thus: 

" Thank you, my dear husband, for your two 
sweet letters. My spirit, my heart is with you, 
and soon I shall return, by the permission of our 
heavenly Father, to share your labours, to sooth 
your cares. Thursday, by the morning coach, 
I intend going to Bath. I have been wonderfully 
blest here, and shall return to you in the fulness 
of the Gospel; and great grace shall rest upon 
ns according to the promise. 

" Our kind dear friends, are very importunate 
with me to stay longer, and prevailed so far Jthat 
1 wrote to you to permit me, but I forgot to put 
the letter into the post office. In the mean time 
came your sweet, plaintive letter, which I 
thought so like a widowed dove's that I come, 
™y clear husband, I come in the strength of my 
Jesus, setting out afresh for heaven, determined 
to be more his, and that will make me more 
u Your dutiful, loving, 
4( and obedient wife, 

u Joanna Turner." 

One of her letters she begins thus: 

" Thou best of husbands, most beloved of 
mortals; grace, mercy, and peace be with thee 
from God the Father, through our Lord Jesus 
Christ! My soul was pained at parting; but 
that it was the will of God, sweetly reconciles 
me. We have had such a sacramental season. 
O the dear brotherhood 3 how I love them! Jesus 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 199 

taught us to pray — 4 Our Father :' and shall we 
not gay to all that know and love Him; of every 
name, they are ours indeed? 

" I felt it divinely this day; and you, and my 
dear pastor, and people at Trowbridge, were all 
near me: for my Jesus was near, and taught me 
sweetly. O that I may practice what I know! 

that the same mind were in me as in Him! 

" The Lord is my sun and shield. He keeps 
and upholds me from moment to moment; and 
has blessed me, since I have been here, with 
much of his love shed abroad in my heart by the 
power of the Holy Ghost. He sweetly permits 
me to shout his praise, with my dear brethren 
of all denominations; blessed be his name, I 
think this is the sweetest visit I ever paid at 
Bristol." 
In another letter from Bristol she writes thus: 
" I thank you, my beloved husband, for your 
kind letters. Glory be to God that you are well, 
and all the dear family! I cannot give you so good 
an account of my despatching business, as in my 
last; but I feel the sweetest union with you, my 
beloved, and with the rest of my dear friends at 
Trowbridge; separation makes not the least 
alteration. I am so united to the dear people 
here, without straitness or distinction, that I am, 

1 think, as happy a mortal as inhabits this city; 
all friends are so kind and affectionate. Who 
am I to be so highly favoured: surely, the Lord 
doth bless my going out and coming in! 

" Oh, what a God of love is ours, who is con- 
stantly bestowing fresh blessings! I never be- 
fore experienced such oneness with Mr. Wes- 



200 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

ley's people, nor could ever before hear their 
preachers with such profit." 

And in another letter, she expresses her love 
and tenderness to her dear husband, and enlarged- 
ness of heart towards all Christians, thus: 

" I am thankful to God, that mv dear husband 
is well. Your letter was welcome to me as wa- 
ter to the thirsty soul. I hope you were not 
much grieved at not hearing from me on Friday: 
I know you were disappointed. The reason 
was, I was too late for the post. Blessed be the 
Lord, all is well; and I am well, and would 
c praise him from the rising of the sun to>the go- 
ing down of the same. 5 It is a blessing that you 
speak so kindly to me, that you miss me, and so 
much love to have me by your side. I am so 
blest with you that I never wish to leave you, 
but to go to my dearest Lord; or at his bidding, 
where it is his pleasure and for his glory. This 
epistle is short, hope the dear Lord will make it 
sweet. Lord's day, one o'clock; — Have receiv- 
ed your letter. It is weJl with you; and blessed 
be God, it will be well forever. I think I never 
had a more refreshing season at Bristol. The 
God of love is with us; all parties, persuasions, 
and denominations of spiritual people, the moun- 
tains of separation fall before our Zerubbabel. 

"lam exceedingly strengthened and refreshed 
in my soul; and do beg our dearest Lord, to give 
our dear pastor, and all the brethren, large 
draughts of love, the loving spirit; and Uren how 
sweetly will it flow in all meekness, patience and 
long suffering! I am just come from the room, 
have had a very blessed season: my brother 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 201 

W y preached; the text, < Lord save, 

we perish 5 — 'This was the sinner's first prayer, 5 
he said, ' and would be his last.' Adieu, and be- 
lieve me, your ever loving, though not ever 

"Obedient wife, 
"Joanna Turner." 

But notwithstanding she was so truly affec- 
tionate, tender, and obedient in her place, as a 
wife, yet, when any mistake, or misapprehension 
of her husband's, was like to prevent her useful- 
ness in the cause of God, she would exert her 
blessed privilege of a mother in Israel, and say, 
'Hath not the Lord God commanded?' Judges 
iv. 6., as will be seen by the following letter, 
concerning talking to a gentlewoman, in a soft 
persuasive way, to allure her to Christ; when, 
Mr. Turner thought, she was flattering the 
great, and should rather have been severely re- 
proving her for living so contrary to the Gospel. 
" My dear husband, 

" If you could understand me, you would not 
think I flattered souls in sins of any kind. But I 
know, from the word of God, from the light of 
the Spirit, From my own experience; that Christ 
is our sanctification as well as justification: and 
it is only by believing ourselves interested in 
him, by being really united to him by faith, that 
we rise superior to sin of any kind! ' Without 
him, we can do nothing!' He is ' the way, the 
truth, and the life;' the alone sacrifice for sin; 
the blessed atonement constantly to be believed 
in! Of him, all the prophets spake, the apostles 
preached, the living witnesses testify! Nothing 
but the sprinkling of his blood, will deliver from 
9* 



202 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

an evil conscience, and free us from the uneasi- 
ness that ariseth from a sense of guilt. 

" Nothing but faith in Christ will overcome 
the world, the flesh, and the devil: why should 
you then, my dear husband, object, when I point 
to him alone and exhort all I speak to, that feel 
they are sinners, to look to Christ to be saved, 
to look to him and be strengthened? If hereup- 
on, faith spring up and grow, obedience like- 
wise will proportionably grow and increase. 

" No wonders can ever be wrought of a holy 
kind, but in the name of the holy child Jesus! 
As soon may one of those green sprigs you 
brought from Hall's this day, grow without a 
root, as a soul flourish and advance in holiness, 
without being grafted into Christ, united to him 
by a lively faith. 

" And must not the faithful witness speak of 
his willingness to save, speak of his power? 
Must he not constantly be described and recom- 
mended? Surely, my dear husband, I must do 
it, though even thou art offended, for want of 
understanding thy 

" Poor wife, 
"Joanna Turner." 

She was, after her conversion, one of the most 
amiable, useful and affectionate of friends, and 
relatives: as may be seen from the preceding 
pages, and gathered from many of her letters; 
extracts from which I here subjoin: 

" God is love, my dear sister, I experience 
him so in all his dispensations! It was his love 
induced you to write so sweetly, so seasonably 
to nie. My blessed heavenly Father is chasten- 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 203 

ing and correcting me, in those that are near to me 
as my own soul. I cannot help feeling all their 
concerns, their situations. Every thing that be- 
longs, that relates to them, belongs, relates to 
me. My soul is filled with parental affection to 
all the dear children, and to my newly widowed 
brother, and sister: greatly as I have loved 
them, I never felt affection equal to this before, 
it is the operation of the Spirit of God. 

" We are continually talking together, till our 
hearts burn within us! O my dear, where shall 
I sink at the goodness of my God. They take 
my advice in every thing that I can advise them 
in: their sweet conduct almost dissolves me, at 
times. 

" My dear sister, does not my heavenly Fa- 
ther hold me up with one hand, whilst he cor- 
rects me with the other? I 'kiss the rod, and 
him that appoints it.' But Oh! my sister, my 
sister, the anguish I have felt for those that are 
dead, I cannot express to you, no more than I 
can my affection to, and the comfort I have in 
the living! Added to this anguish for the death 
of those I loved as my ow r n soul, I have had the 

pain of not being understood by my dear C n, 

either in my services, or sufferings. 

" My soul is truly happy then, and only then, 
when it is content to be accounted as a malefac- 
tor, though for well doing! To be dumb, like 
my dearest Lord, to resemble him: my soul hun- 
gers and thirsts for nothing else, nothing else 
can satisfy me: I can love nothing contrary to 
him, in myself or others." 



204 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

She was a most loving, instructive, and ten- 
der mistress to her servants, having a resolution 
that surmounted the greatest difficulties. And 
being indefatigable in pursuing whatsoever she 
took in hand, if convinced she was in the 
path of duty, she equally surmounted the re- 
proaches of enemies, and the solicitations of 
friends. 

A maid servant falling under great distress of 
mind, and, for a time, becoming quite insane; 
she neither put her away, nor sent her to a 
place of confinement, as many of her friends ad- 
vised; but kept her in her own house, and watch- 
ed over her herself; using every lenient endea- 
vour to relieve and bring her to reason again, 

till her husband, and faithful friend Miss J n, 

fearing the poor lunatic might be permitted to 
do mischief, took her without Mrs. Turner's ap- 
probation, and conveyed her to a house of con- 
finement. But she soon made her escape to her 
kind mistress, and recovering from her insanity, 
loved and served her faithfully many years af- 
terwards, and at last died happy in her arms; as 
the following letter to Miss J n, testifies: 

" My beloved sister, 

"Our dear Molly's conflict is over, her 
warfare is ended: and I have not the least doubt 
of her being with her dear Saviour, whom she 
longed to behold without a veil! So far as I can 
judge, this was her constant frame. But her 
senses have been greatly impaired this week 
past. She spoke very little; only answered 
questions; but greatly to my satisfaction, and to 
the glory of God, expressive of constant faith in 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 205 

Jesus, the most humbling views of herself, and 
universal love to all. 

" I have been almost constantly with her, by- 
day; with Molly Hill, and another kind sister: 
and such plenty of watchers from our society, 
fresh ones every night: and if she had lived, I 
know not the length of the list: I watched her 
last breath. 

M The Lord is very near me; sweetly speaks, 
and explains his providential dealings, to my 
understanding. 

" We shall keep the dear corpse as long as 
possible, and then bury her in a Christian man- 
ner. Her funeral text is, Isaiah xii. 1, 2. verses. 
Farewell, my beloved sister, believe me, 
"Ever yours, 

" Joanna Turnfr." 

She was not less indefatigable in the church 
and societv with which she was connected; but 
proved a wise, prudent, and tender nursing mo- 
ther to God's children. 

She constantly exhorted them to support 
union of spirit, and to guard against falling out 
by the way; and was a bright example of love 
and affection, in her own deportment. 

She was very considerate, and indulgent to 
those who erred merely through human infirmity: 
but discovered the utmost detestation of sin. She 
could not bear to see the glory of God sullied, 
or religion injured, by any unworthy conduct 
in its professors She hardened her brow as 
brass, and set her face as a flint, against self-in- 
dulgence, conformity to the world, loose walk 
or conversation, in whatever instance it appeared. 



206 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

And she was not only as a Deborah, the pro- 
phetess, among them, to lead them forth to the 
battles of the Lord, or as a Miriam, to go before 
them in the worship of the Lord; but she wad 
likewise as an Abigail, careful to give to them 
good counsel, and to provide for their bodily ne- 
cessities, as well as for the peace of their minds; 
never suffering any of her poor brethren to want 
the necessaries of life, if she knew it. And over 
and above attending to their extreme necessities, 
she generally gave the poor of their society an 
entertainment, at Christmas, of a plain but plenti- 
ful table, and on one of these occasions she 
wrote the following poem: 

i. 

"Oh, for a tune of loftiest praise, 
To sing the goodness of the Lord! 
Dear brethren, strive, your voices raise; 
His love and power proclaim abroad! 

II. 

Look to the rock from whence he hew'd 
Our guilty souls, and made us his: 
The manna round our tents he strew'd, 
O! how we taste the heavenly bliss! 

III. 

What hath God wrought, our souls may say, 
Since to himself he made us cleave! 
Jesus, our light, our life, our way, 
Ii* thee alone, we would believe! 

IV. 

What hast thou done, Saviour dear, 
For us here waiting at thy feet, 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 207 

My dear companions present here! 
O, may we in one spirit meet! 

V. 

Late not beloved, now highly prized; 
What people are more own'd and blest! 
The day of small things not despis'd; 
Now drawn to lean on Jesu's breast! 

VI. 

Lately, like sheep we* wandered wide, 
Or lonely, like the sparrow moped, 
No pastor, teacher, heavenly guide, 
No house, or friend to sooth our hope. 

VII. 

What a dear pastor has he giv'n* 
Among ourselves him deigned to raise; 
To lead us on from earth to heaven; 
O may we our dear Saviour praise! 

VIII. 

We kept and favoured, by his grace, 
Low at his feet would humbly fall; 
That in his house we've still a place , 
Dear brethren, 'tis his goodness all! 

IX. 

O! may we now with heart and voice. 
Devote and give ourselves to thee! 
Dear Saviour, taJke us as we are, 
And make us what thou'dsthave us be! 

X. 

Let us not grovel here below, 
Nor tempt thy Spirit to despart, 



* A striking description of the infant state of the society 



20S LIFE AJHD DEATH OF 

From children, lot us ciders grow, 
O Jesus, take our every heart!" 



She was not only free to do laudable actions 
in the sight of the world, for God's sake, but 
was as ready to express her fidelity even on oc- 
casions that were likely to be prejudicial to her 
reputation, to her temporal interests, and to en- 
danger the esteem of her dearest friends; not 
daring to slight the poorest of Christ's ilock, or 
to be ashamed to be seen conversing with those 
that had been the most infamous and abandoned 
characters, before conversion; having that scrip- 
ture on her mind, c Whosoever is ashamed of me 
or my cause 5 my Gospel or my people, c of him 
will I be ashamed, before my Father and his ho- 
ly angels.' 

Many remarkable instances of denying her 
proud nature, and taking up the cross and shame, 
and treading in the steps of the friend of publi- 
cans and sinnners, might be recounted, to the 
glory of that grace by which she was actuated. 
But as there are but few of my readers that can 
enter into the purity of her motives, and those 
that cannot, may be stumbled at it, I forbear to 
mention them here. 

To a person filled with the love of God, and 
sensible of their own demerit by nature it is easy, 
nay it is pleasant, to stoop to, and treat as a bro- 
ther, the meanest, the chiefest of sinners, who are 
brought into the fold of Christ: but it is a task 
much more difficult and irksome, to run the risk 
of offending the rich, the great, the wise, the 
amiable, and those you tenderly love, by faith- 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 209 

fully warning and reproving for sin: yet did she 
take up that painful cross likewise, whenever 
called to it; and, like Paul, withstand even a Peter 
to his face, if she saw he was to be blamed. 

It was her constant custom to rebuke profane 
swearers or cursers, and those who took the 
name of her God in vain, though ever so respect- 
able character* in the world; and those she 
caught at play, or doing unnecessary business on 
the Lord's-day. And notwithstanding her faith- 
fully and lovingly warning them to flee from the 
wrath to come, has stirred up the old nature in 
their wicked hearts, and her kindness has been 
returned with contempt, cursing, and mockery; 
yet many have remembered her admonitions af- 
terwards, with gratitude and profit to their souls. 
And one, in particular, who departed this life in 
the full assurance of faith, acknowledged on his 
death-bed, that his first impression originated 
from her reproof for breaking the sabbath. Re- 
specting this youth, she writes thus to Miss 
J n of Bristol: 

"My dear friend, 

" The Lord hath vouchsafed an astonishing 

blessing to dear M— H , in the death of her 

grandson, once a most notoriously wicked boy; 
who, a few months ago, withstood and dared me 
in such a manner, as you would not think one of 
twelve years old capable of, because I would 
hinder him from playing on the Lord's-day. 

"Last Wednesday his grandmother desired me, 
at his request, earnest, voluntary request, to come 
to him. I asked him, how he did? with great 
sweetness of voice, he answered, 'Very bad!' But 



210 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

how is it with your soul? C I am doubting!' What 
do you doubt about? 'I am such a sinner, I fear I 
cannot bp pardoned! 5 What have you sinned so 
much in? 'In every thing V This answer he made 
with great eagerness. Doth any one sin, more 
than another, lie with weight on ypur conscience? 
'No: I have done everything that is bad?' I know 
you have, my dear, said I: You hare been a re- 
markable sabbath-breaker, disobedient to your 
mother, and a good grandmother, a liar, and a 
thief. I then repeated several of the command- 
ments, and said, 'God is of purer eyes than to be- 
hold iniquity, and if you had observed them 
instead of breaking them, and at last had oifened 
but i$ one point, you could not be saved by the 
law. But would you break them again if you 
were well? 'No;' said he, 'I would hear preach- 
ing: 3 If God were to deal justly with you, must he 
not send you to hell? 'He must, for I deserve 
worse than hell!' Do you know of any way, in 
which such a sinner as you may go to heaven? 
'Yes; Jesus Christ hath died upon the cross to 
save sinners; 7 I asked him many questions? as, 
whether he believed in Christ as God? &c. to all 
which he answered marvellously! I asked him, 
what she would desire of God for him? He said, 
'That he would take me to heaven;' and, after a 
pause, said, 'and pardon my sins!' He desired 
Mr. Clark would preach a sermon on these words, 
"It is finished. 5 ' 

"He expressed the consolation he derived from 
those words, so often repeated in the Psalms, 
'His mercy endureth for ever.' He said, 'He 
was a murderer ail the day long.' His friends 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. %\ 1 

asked him, What he meant? He said, 'His sins 
murdered Christ.' 

"The evening before he died, he said, The 
devil told him, if he lived he should be as bad as 
ever.' In the night he was heard to say, ^pre- 
cious, precious, precious Jesus! Lord, thy will 
be done!' notwithstanding he was in the most ex- 
cruciating pain. The doctor told him, he would 
give him some palatable medicines, and perhaps 
he might yet live. He said, 'he did not wish to 
live. 5 His grandmother giving him some cold 
water to drink in the night, said to him, 'You will 
soon drink draughts of salvation! 7 'Yes;' said he, 
'from the rock, Christ!' 

"About an hour before he died, he lamented 
his impatience; and said, 'if it were not pardoned, 
it was enough to damn his soul to hell!' 1 '* Mrs. 
Turner took great pleasure in reflecting upon 
the circumstances attending this youth's conver- 
sion, particularly that it did not discover itself 
more in his affections, than his judgment, and that 
he was so diffident of himself. 

As she watched every opportunity, and took 
every occasion to win souls to Christ; if, when 
going to the house of God, she saw any loiter- 
ing away their time whom she could take the lib- 
erty with, she would invite them to go with her, 
and has frequently succeeded. 

Her invitations were always attended with the 
highest expressions of the value she had for tha 
salvation of souls, and the importance of the gos- 
pel message. 

It cannot be supposed that she was less concern- 
ed for the salvation of near and dear relations than 



212 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

for strangers. Prayers, offered to God on their 
behalf , were heard; and her endeavours, in con- 
junction with her prayers, proved successful. 
Mr Turner's mother, two brothers and a nephew, 
with others, were made willing to take up the 
cross and follow a crucified Saviour. 

Old Mrs. Turner had been exceedingly preju- 
diced against the Methodists: but, by coming to 
live in her son's house, they were removed. She 
6aw her daughter-in-law was a pattern of piety: 
her conduct won upon her exceedingly. She grad- 
ually received light in her understanding, be- 
came an honourable member of the church; and 
after a life full of days, died in the full assurance 
of faith, leaving behind her a correspondent tes- 
timony. Mrs. Turner, in a letter to me, dated 
August the 12th, 1784 f writes thus concerning 
her: 

"Our dear mother was buried on the evening 
of the day that I received your letter. She was 
violently seized with the small-pox, lived a fort- 
night and two days, and had the disorder very 
heavy. At times, we had hopes of her recovery, 
till the last two days; but she herself had neither 
hope nor wish for it. Her apothecary says, he 
never saw one so patient in such a disorder. In- 
deed, her meekness, gentleness, humility and 
spirituality^ as well as her submission to the will 
of God, were beyond description. 

"While she was able to speak plain, she spoke 
much of the Lord's gracious dealings with her 
soul; and exhorted, with great wisdom and pow- 
er, those she conversed with, to cleave close to 
the Lord: and said, among other things, that 'if 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 213 

she was to recover, she did not know how she 
should bear the vanity of many who professed 
godliness." 

Being in a high fever, and very thirsty, she 
told me one day, c she was grieved that she thirst- 
ed for any thing more than for Jesus. 5 

"Her desire after him was soon after satisfied: 
such hungering and thirsting was vouchsafed, as 
she never experienced before; she did indeed 
long to be with Christ! At the beginning of her 
illness she once said, but never after, that 'of the 
two she would choose to live a little longer, that 
she might live more to the glory of God; 5 but on 
a friend's telling her of the finished salvation, she 
rejoiced in that alone. 

"As she was blind, whenever she wanted to 
drink, we used to put her hand to the cup and de- 
sire her to guide it to her month; on which she 
once said — 

"Guide me, O thou great Jehovah! 
Pilgrim o'er this barren land: 
I am weak, but thou art mighty; 
Guide me, with thy powerful hand! 
Bread of heaven, bread of heaven, 
Feed me till I want no more? 

"And she repeated the last couplet 'Bread of 
heaven, bread of heaven, feed me till I want no 
more 5 with such an emphasis as was most animat- 
ing! Once, she- spoke of a little conflict with 
Satan, and wa3 set at liberty by these words; 
'Rejoice, the Lord is king, &c. Both these 
hymns were sung the night her funeral sermon 
was preached; the text, her own choosing, 
Psalm xciv. verse 19." 



214 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

It was a most agreeable sight to behold the mu- 
tual tenderness and respect Mrs. Turner and her 
mother-in-law were ever studious to shew to each 
other. It was impossible that they should live 
upon more sacred and affectionate terms: and in- 
deed, there was such order and decorum pre- 
served in the family by their joint conduct, and 
such quietude in their most busy hours; as is 
scarcely to be conceived, and very rarely imita- 
ted. 

Mr. Turner's nephew with a surviving brother, 
were left in almost destitute circumstances; and 
coming under the care of Mrs. Turner, afforded 
opportunity to discover how wisely she could dis- 
charge the duty of a parent She had them in all 
subjection; but it was not the subjection of slaves. 
They reverenced her, because they loved her; 
and by her excellent and rational discipline were 
restrained from evil. The youngest died of a 
fever, in the tenth year of his age, at boarding- 
school; where he manifested a love to the scrip- 
tures, and endeavoured, by a variety of pretty 
methods to excite his school-fellows to love them 
also. 

We have good authority to say, "He had more 
than hope in his death." His aunt had early 
taught him to lisp his Redeemer's praise, and to 
fcing hosanna to the son of David! She taught 
him to pray extempore; and often heard him, 
when he knew it not, in retirement, pray very 
earnestly for the pardon of his sins, and for an in- 
terest in the love of Christ. 

One of his dying sentences was, 'that he was 
sure he loved God above all things;' though he 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 215 

had several times before expressed his fears, that 
if he died he should not go to heaven. 

His brother, it is hoped, will follow the in- 
structions and example of his valuable aunt 

In the instruction of children she had a very- 
happy talent. In order to quell pride, enry, 
self-applause, malice and revenge; which the 
generality of parents cherish in them, by leading 
their young minds to admire their own wisdom, 
beauty, fine clothes, smart sayings, pert remarks, 
&c. and thus increasing their insufferable pertness 
of behaviour to others; she early taught them 
what wicked hearts they had; how ignorant, 
foolish, and sinful by nature: how Satan instilled 
into them every evil desire, every proud, envious 
and malicious thought; and therefore it was the 
wicked spirit that made them proud of fine 
clothes: which, she told them, were only made 
out of the grass of the field, the bowels of worms, 
or bits of greasy wool from the skins of beasts; 
that it was the father of lies, that made them tell 
lies, be angry with, envious at, or steal from one 
another. 

Whenever they were guilty of a fault, she 
would go to the word of God, and point out from 
thence the sin and the punishment, if not forgiven; 
and make them pray to God for forgiveness, be- 
fore they expected forgivness from her. 

Thus they learned to despise new clothes, in- 
stead of being proud of them; to be ashamed of 
coveting one another's playthings, and of assuming 
all the conversation to themselves; as the gener- 
ality of children are now permitted to do: much 
less were they allowed to be pert and saucy to their 
elders, and servants; having the story of the bears 



216 LIFE AND DEATH Ol« 

tearing so many children to pieces, for unbecome- 
ing behaviour to God's servant set before them 
frequently by way of precaution. 

And, as they were able to bear it, she told 
them, not only of their fallen state by nature, but 
also their recovery by Jesus Christ: and led them 
to love their Saviour for what he had done and 
suffered for them; and to believe his gracious pro- 
mises of saving their souls; and to pray for pow- 
er, to believe, love and obey him; as his manifest 
by the following letter to her surviving nephew, 
when at school, dated November the 8th, 1780. 

"My dear Thomas, 

"I should write to you oftener, but duties of 
various kinds employ my time; and I know you 
have in Mr. and Mrs. W— 's instructions, every 
thing I would wish you. 

"I charge you my dear, if you wish to be happy, 
that you will attend to the instruction, admonition, 
and advice now given you! Indeed, it is a peculi- 
ar previlege for you to be where you now are: I 
am greatly sensible of it, and hope you are the 
same, and will improve it to the utmost of your 
capacity: then, with what pleasure will dear Mr. 
W r see you capable of business, acting pro- 
perly, and a blessing to the whole family. 

"This greatly depends upon your improve- 
ment of your present opportunities, which I beg 
you to attend to: but above all, pray the Lord to 
convert you; if the tree is made good, the fruit will 
be good also. 

"We often talk of you. Mrs. C s fre- 
quently inquires after you: you are a great fa- 
vourite with her, and with Mrs. C k. Mr. 

Clark's father was buried last Wednesday. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 217 

" The late death of your dear brother, and 
other friends, calls aloud to you to be ready. 
You are not certain of a day, nor an hour; there- 
fore, how dangerous, how foolish is it, to defer 
the preparation for it! when the remedy is at 
hand, to delay taking it; the loving Saviour 
wooing you; and you to neglect the gracious of- 
fer: now is the accepted time! It is not yet too 
late: if you feel a want or desire of salvation, 
you may ask, you may expect to receive. 

" You are not too young to die; you are not 
too young to be saved! Your dear grandmother 
is very anxious about you, longing for your sal- 
vation: indeed, it is the united prayer of all our 
hearts; and, I am sure, it is of the dear friends 
with whom you are; and, I hope, my dear, you 
are not unconcerned about it yourself. 

"Do write the feelings of your heart honestly; 
speak the truth. For earnestly as we wish you to 
hear and understand God's voice to you in every 
thing, yet we entreat you, not to dissemble, nor 
use the least hypocrisy in sacred matters! It is 
the greatest sin that can be in God's sight! It is 
the greatest abomination to those who are like 
him, — all sincere Christians! The folly of it is 
as great as the sin; for if the real case be not 
known, how can proper advice be given you? 
Can a physician prescribe properly for a patient, 
that concealeth his real disease. 

"How happy shall I be, my dear Thomas, to 
be instrumental of benefitting your soul, of pro- 
moting your everlasting welfare! The most 
agreeable situations in life, will have their disa- 
greeableness likewise; and in fourscore years, or 



218 *JFE AND DEATH OP 

much shorter time, there will be an end of all be- 
low! Everlasting happiness, or misery, will then 
begin; and O! how long, how inconceivably long 
their duration! For ever and ever! When mih 
lions, and millions of ages are past, eternity is no 
nearer ending. 

"To lose eternal happiness, now so freely of- 
fered, how shocking the reflection! And for the 
sake of indulging any one sin, that cannot now 
make you happy; the blessed bleeding Saviour is 
slighted, the soul is lost: My dear Thomas, you 
have had, you now have, these important truths 
. so faithfully and affectionately pressed upon you, 
that you will, indeed you will, be without excuse, 
if you neglect so great salvation: But I hope better 
things of you, that you will go to God; give your- 
self as you are, as you can, to the dear Saviour; 
^nd he will pardon, bless, and make you happy. 

"He is this moment very near to you, — now 
invites ycu! Is there no desire to be saved from 
sin here and from wrath eternal? Does not your 
conscience accuse you of sins, many, great, and 
aggravated. 

"Well: be honest, confess to the Lord what 
you feel, and as you feel! He knows every thing 
without your speaking: but if you feei the misery 
of your state by nature, you cannot but cry out 
forinercy; and then, my dear child, how we 
shall encourage you. 

"All ministers, all Christians, the whole word 

of God! are for your encouragement: A cloud of 

witnesses will testify, that Jesus still receiveth 

sinners; that his blood cleanseth from all sin; that 

Mhe Holy Spirit still convinces and comforts, leads 



; MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 219 

and guides, those whom God the Father loves: 
May the blessed, adorable, triune God, bless this 
poor letter to your soul. 

" This is the first week we have been with- 
out visiters for a long time; and you may think I 
love you, by devoting the first leisure moments 
to you. 

" The writing is bad; you must take some lit- 
tle pains to read it. Part of it, was written by 
candle-light; and my eyes decay exceedingly 
fast: but, I wish to recommend my blessed Sa- 
viour to you: c He increases my spiritual sight, 
strength, and enjoyments! 1 I am sure, I could 
speak it in the face of a whole assembled world, 
from a confidence of the truth, that not a mortal 
living, can taste such sweet peace, such real en- 
joyment, from riches, honours, pleasures, or all 
the joys united together, that earth can afford, as 
I taste, feel, and richly enjoy, in the favour of 
my God: which he makes me as sensible of, by 
his blessed Spirit, as I am of any thing by natu- 
ral means. 

"If you feel sorrow for sin, and desire to be 
saved from it, and all the evil effects and conse- 
quents of it, by Jesus Christ the Lord, he will 
forgive you; and breathe peace, sweet peace in- 
to your soul: and then, you cannot but be happy, 
love, serve, and praise God! Accept our united 

love: present it to dear Mr. and Mrs. W r; we 

shall be happy to see you all together at Trow- 
bridge, the 23d of November, our anniversary. 
I am, 

Your affectionate aunt, 

"J. Turner'*' 



220 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

At the bottom of a letter to me, she writes thus: 
"Our dear nephew Thomas is the bearer of this 
letter. Providence appeared pointing out to us, 
and our hearts were inclined, to place him with 
Mr. W r for a season. 

"He is a dutiful, humble, loving child: we 
could not have spared him but for his good. He 
has a good capacity, but wants culture; like my 
myrtle, which I removed yesterday from a little 
pan to a large tub, that it might expand its root 
and spread, its branches. 

"Whenever you are at Marlborough, be so 
kind as to take a little notice of him. You know, 
I would not have him to be so particularized, as 
to be made vain or proud — may pride be ever hid 
from his eyes! My bowels this moment yearn 
over him with the sincerest desire for his wel- 
fare." 

Mrs. Turner's letters, conversation and pray- 
ers, were made very useful, in early life, to a 
dearly beloved niece; who departed this life a 
year and a half before herself, trusting in the 
merits of Christ alone for salvation; concerning 
whom she wrote thus to me in April 22, 1783. 

"I was prevented going the journey I intended 

by the illness and death of my dear niece, J s, 

at the Hot-wells. A most calm, easy, and de- 
lightful exit it was! I can say, with confidence 
and full assurance, that she most sweetly fell 
asleep in Jesus! 

"On the morning before her death, she told me 

and dear Miss J n, that she was happier than 

ever she was in all her life, quite resigned and 
willing to die, if it were the will of God. She 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 221 

could leave her dear little girl, four years old, 
her most amiable husband, and all she had in the 
world, and go to Jesus. 

"You will conceive of my happiness, to see 
one so dearly beloved go out of the world, so 
safe and happy? It was a most affecting scene, 
so mournfully pleasing! I saw her expire, in 
the easiest manner, without a pang, struggle or 
groan, in the thirty-seventh year of her age." 

While Mrs. Turner filled up every part of 
civil, religious, and relative duty, and thus pre- 
served a conscience void of offence, towards 
man; she did not forget to preserve a good con- 
science towards God. 

It was a maxim with her, to keep the Lord's 
presence by secret prayer and the eye of faith, 
while she was busied in her shop or counting- 
house: so that she made every place a house of 
prayer, often saying, that 'Every morning when 
she left her bed, she prayed to be enabled, 'to 
give her heart to God, and her hands to the 
world.' But she did not give every hour, even 
of the week-days, to the world. She attended 
public preaching, twice a week, constantly, and 
society or prayer-meetings, once: beside the time 
allotted for her private devotions, and the oppor- 
tunities that offered for social prayer with her oc- 
casional visiters. 

The LordVday, from early in the morning 
till late in the evening, was almost entirely devot- 
ed to his service and worship, according to 
Jsaiah58. 13. 

And what was peculiarly excellent and worthy 
fof imitation in Mrs. Turner, was, her constant 



222 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

obedience to what she thought the will of God, 
however irksome, and contrary to flesh and blood 
in little things as well as great: and often would 
she say, with Samuel, 'Hath the Lord as great 
pleasure in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as when 
the voice of the Lord is obeyed? Behold, to obey 
is better than sacrifice; and to hearken, than the 
fat of rams: for wilful rebellion is as the sin of 
witchcraft, (which Saul was noted to punish most 
severely,) and stubbornness is an iniquity and 
idolatry. 5 To be stiff in our own opinions and 
self-willed, or not to bend our will to the Lord's, 
is as the greatest enormities. 

"It does not signify ,*' said she, "to pretend to 
stand up for, and makq a great shew of scrictness 
in obeying the outward ordinances of God, and 
condemning the sins and departures from the 
faith of others, fighting about non-essential 
modes, and opinions, while we are determined to 
obey his precepts, and the secret voice of his 
Spirit, no farther, than is agreeable to our own 
inclinations. 55 

But sad experience teaches us, there is a dis- 
inclination in the natural man to go to God ft)** 
counsel, secretly in the soul, where the Lord 
chooses to be sought unto. When we cannot 
but hear the Spirit speak, and are conscious that 
he speaks agreeably to the written word; how do 
we stifle the sound! Shutting our ears against it, 
turning immediately to some outward; sacrifice, 
to be seen of men, or customary ordinance, in 
preference to the present sweet command of God ; 
consulting the opinions of the people of God, 



. MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 223 

and following their counsel, who are, in part, 
blind and selfish, rather than the positive word 
of the Lord: like Saul, willing enough to give up 
those things that would make us appear vile in 
the sight of men; but the pride of our good works, 
our good name; our own wisdom, will and way, 
we choose to spare; pretending with those to 
sacrifice to the Lord, 

How she was taught to hear, understand, and 
submit to the secret commands of God, may be 
learnt from the following extract of a letter to 
her husband, when she was employed in the 
Lord's work at Tisbury. 
"My dear husband, 

"The Lord's name be praised, all is well! no 
evil occurrence of any kind permitted to befall 
me! I hope and trust that it is the same with 
you, and all the dear family, to whom I am not 
the less united, by distance: but here, the good 
Lord hath stationed me, for a season; and it is 
delightfully sweet to my soul to submit to his 
blessed commands. 

" He makes me understand: He makes me 
obey, by heavenly gentle force, divinely-pleas- 
ing touches, leadings, drawings of the spirit, and 
there is no resisting such charming allurements. 

"Oh that Christians, the men of God, under- 
stood this all-attracting way, and practised it 
more! If they did; it is inconceivable how happy 
I should be, on earth! But ah! how few, how very 
few do I meet with, but deal harshly with, speak 
roughly to, tell me I should do so to others; and 
censure the overflowings of that love, my God is 
pleased to shed abroad in my heart. 
10 # 



224 LIFE AND DEATft OF 

"I am learning lessons of grace, from the hew- 
ing, sawing, plaining, of the carpenter; from the 
fitting, setting, and polishing of the stones, by 
the masons. Oh, my dear! every thing is right — 
all of divine appointment! Who am I, what am I 
to be so blest and favoured by the majesty of 
heaven: He is with me, my brother, husband, 
friend: I have nothing to do, but to tell of his 
goodness, greatness, love, and mercy. 5 ' 

As a powerful incitement to obedience, she 
was blest with an unshaken confidence in God, 
as a God of love; in whom was no fury, for a 
moment, towards his children; who never afflict- 
ed willingly or grieved the children of men. 

In one of the last letters she ever wrote, she 
speaks thus: 

"He is love, most loving to me in all his deal- 
ings! My soul has for these twenty years adored 
him as a God of love, tasted the constant sweet- 
ness of being accepted in the beloved." 

Indeed, her faith was in the general, strong, 
active, lively, unshaken by frames or feelings! 
It was that faith, which is of the operation of 
God's Spirit; that faith which hath the unchange- 
able love of God for its foundation, and is built 
up with his promises; that faith, which getteth 
the victory over the world, the flesh, and the 
deyil; and worketh by love: It was that faith, 
whfch the apostle saith 'subdued kingdoms, 
wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stop- 
ped the mouth of lions; quenched the violence of 
fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of week- 
ness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, 
turned to flight the armies of the aliens.' 



LIFE AND DEATH OF 225 

" As was said of a highly favoured servant of 
the Lord, "Not less eminent than 'her faith, was 
her humility: amidst all her laying herself out 
for God and the good of souls, she ever preserv- 
ed that special grace, of making no account of 
her labours: 5 She held herself and her abilities in 
the most despicable light: and seemed to have 
that word continually before her eyes, and ever 
on her tongue, which she chose as a text for her 
funeral-sermon, many years ago, a I am nothing." 

"Under a sense of her unprofitableness, she 
writes thus to me, in the year 1783. 

" All is well that my heavenly Father appoints 
or permits! My soul aspires after the most perfect 
submission and obedience to his will! To will, this 
I can speak to the glory of his grace, is continu- 
ally with me; but my performances are very, 
very low, mean, contemptible, dross, dung, insig- 
nificant and vile beyond description, but not wick- 
edly designed: With all the poor weak powers 
of my soul, I would, I do as I can, ascribe con- 
stantly all the glory to my God and Saviour. 

"Notwithstanding it is but little that I know, 
yet I know, 'AH the good that is done upon the 
earth, he doth it himself:' C A11 power is his.' 

"In me, that is in my flesh , dwelleth no good 
thing at any time: no, not for a moment! I am 
that clay and he is the potter! 'The voice, if tun- 
ed, he tunes: the nerve that writes, sustains: He 
moulds, he forms, he fashions: In him, I live, 
I move: I have my new created fro^! I am 
stupid in learning, slow in advancing, can but 
creep; but I wish to fly, in his blessed ways, his 
delightful commands! But I can do nothing but 
10* 



226 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

commit fresh faults, receive fresh pardons, fresh 
supports and supplies, and 'attempt to lisp fresh 
songs of praise. 5 

"Places, situations, different dispensations of 
providence, or kinds of employment, are but of 
little consequence to me. If my Lord, my life, 
my love be near, I can do all things, or can bear 
all sufferings. Whilst he upholds me, I cannot sink 
nor be dismayed. 

"He is my all; my whole of religion is, to 
please and enjoy Him. He sweetly, most con- 
descendingly teaches me, by his spirit, word, and 
providence; and it is a most delightful road. 

"I thirst, I gasp, for greater degrees, for large? 
measures; and yet feel the sweetest satisfaction 
of mind, except with myself. 

"I can do nothing well! I am constantly over- 
whelmed with great shame snd confusion of face, 
and breathe, from my inmost soul, 'Lord, thou 
knoweth all things, thou knowest that I would 
love thee; 5 notwithstanding I do not, I cannot as 
I ought . I want to be all gratitude and love; I 
tvant to be entirely dead to all below, as to inor- 
dinacy of affection; as angels, as the blessed spirits 
above are; and to love good of whatever kind, and 
wherever it is: love what my adorable heavenly 
Father loves, and hate what he hates. 

"Nothing, nothing can satisfy my soul, till I 
awake after His likeness. I hate myself, and my 
very, very amazing, shameful, scandalously 
shameful unlikeness; considering the vast helps* 
the amazing expense bestowed upon me: so that I 
am sure I ought to kiss the lips, yea the feet, of 
the faithful friend that reproves and admonishes 
me. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 227 

CC I am heartily convinced, that it is the Lord 
that begins, carries on, and must complete the 
whole of salvation. 

"It is he alone that has worked on the hearts 
of the poor sinners at Tisbury, to will and to do. 
And Oh! his divine goodness to me, in conde- 
scending to use me as an instrument; if he ever 
has been pleased to use me. The constant cry 
of my soul is 'Send, Lord, by whom thou wilt 
send!' 

"Oh, humility! sweet humility! I long for it. 
Poverty of spirit, I wish for more than heaven; I 
cannot be satisfied without it. Pray for me, my 
friend, that it may speedily, and in the largest 
measure, be bestowed upon me. 

I do not desire great things. I want to be lit- 
tle, unseen, unknown; loving, adoring, and obey- 
ing my Saviour, my Lord and my God; and cher- 
ishing his dear members; and doing good to a 
whole world, if I could. Farewell, my dear 
friend, let me hear from you soon, who am, 
"The poorest of creatures, 

"J. Turner.'* 

From this deep self-abasement and self-abhor- 
rence, sprang great pity to, and patience with the 
weakness, ignorance, infirmities and frailties of 
others. Her patience, forbearance, and continued 
favours to some that repeatedly offended in mat- 
ters that concerned her worldly interest, were 
uncommon. But she aimed to follow her divine 
Master's precepts and example, as far as lay in 
her power; particularly , that of forgiving injuries, 
overcoming evil with God: and thus heaping 



£28 LIFE AND DEATH 0# 

coals of fire upon them, to melt, if possible, 
their obdurate hearts, and refine their drossy na- 
tures. 

It produced in her, likewise, a mind ready to 
every good word and work: every thing that 
could promote her neighbour's real interest; and 
no cross seemed hard or wearisome to her, that 
tended to that salutary end. 

Accordingly, she went about doing good con- 
tinually; often took long and tiresome walks, and 
expensive journeys, for the good of individuals, 
at the request of those she had never seen; besides 
the expense of money, health and ease, she be- 
stowed so freely, for the prosperity of different 
churches, and the spread of the Gospel in her 
own neighbourhood, and distant villages. She 
often went miles for the good of souls, when the 
situation of her health required that she should 
be carefully nursed at home. And but the week 
before she took to her bed, where she died in less 
than a fortnight, she went to the house of God, 
unable as she was to walk, on purpose to prevail 
with a friend distressed in mind, to go with her 
there, in hopes of comfort from the word preach- 
ed; and standing about on the cold stones, impor- 
tuning her friend, with whom she could not pre- 
vail, she caught a violent cold, that struck the 
cancer inwards on her lungs; and, to all human 
appearance, shortened her days. 

In bearing pain she was indeed most exempla- 
ry, and continued more and more so to the last. 
Nothing but the fear of speaking an untruth, 
would extort from her, at any time, unnecessary 
confessions of pain or trouble; much less com- 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 229 

plaints or murmurs at the Lord's dealing with 
her body or soul. Her general answer to kind 
inquiries was — "All is well!" 

Mrs. Turner was eminent, likewise, for a great 
share of divine wisdom; which she exercised on 
all occasions, spiritual and temporal, to the ad- 
vantage, satisfaction, and admiration of those con- 
cerned. 

Her worldly affairs, were conducted in the 
same spirit as her heavenly. She went to the 
same eternal fountain for supplies of skill and 
power, to perform little things as well as great: 
remembering that scripture, "Not a hair of your 
head falls to the ground, without your heavenly 
Father's notice;" and "doth the Lord take care 
for oxen and sparrows only, and not for his chil- 
dren?" 

She felt it her privilege, to expect the Lord's 
direction in all doubtful and difficult cases of 
common life; and even to bless and prosper the 
smallest work of her hands. She knew that 
every thing he called her to in his providence, he 
would give her wisdom to perform; and therefore, 
"whatever her hands found to do, she did it with 
all her might," asking help of Him. 

Two great advantages resulted from this sim- 
plicity of faith: — First, she was encouraged by it 
to do every thing, that appeared right and proper 
to be done, immediately, as soon as it occurred; 
and thus, kept her mind and memory unburthen- 
ed: — Secondly; she received her light and pow- 
er, from the Fountain of wisdom and might, and 
therefore did all things well. 



230 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

But among all the graces, that of love shone 
most conspicuous! Love to poor sinners, ena- 
bled her to give up the honours, pleasures, and 
profits of the world, to become a servant to the 
church. At her first setting out in the cause of 
Christ, and after the Lord honoured her with a 
blessed increase of this world's goods, she still 
continued to devote — the much as well as the lit- 
tle, to the service of precious souls. 

Before she was a house-keeper, she laid out all 
Bhe could spare from her own necessary supplies 
of apparel, &c. on the poor and needy: and once, 
believing herself called of the Lord in his provi- 
dence to give her last half-guinea, to help a poor 
sick man in great distress, with which she had 
designed to buy shoes for herself, of which she 
was in great want; she gave her half-guinea, and 
condescended to beg a pair of shoes of a friend, 
without acquainting her with the real state of 
the case. 

When she became a house-keeper, with the 
small income of twenty-five pounds per year, she 
lived on bread and water much of her time, in or- 
der to afford a meal of meat once a week to seve- 
ral poor people who could not purchase it: and 
was once so reduced, as to go without bread 
herself for a whole day; and must have continued 
so a longer time, had not the Lord appeared for 
her wonderfully in his providence, just in the 
time of need; for expecting some young friends 
out of the country to visit her, she was looking 
over some letters to entertain them with, when 
to her utter astonishment, gratitude and joy, 
dropped out from one of them half a guinea and 
some silver. 



MRS. JOAKNA TURNER. SSI 

In these restrained circumstances, she often- 
times laboured with her hands on plain work; for 
hire, day and night; without refreshment for her 
poor body. 

And when she had all things and abounded, she 
did not cease her labours for the poor, but rather 
increased them; doing herself two people's work 
in her shop, by day, and giving up her necessary 
rest at night, in order to have wherewith to give 
to him that needeth; and to build an house, where 
they might assemble to hear the good news of 
salvation for lost sinners. 

But her love was not confined to her own 
church and people; it was extended towards all 
mankind; towards Christians of every name. To 
all who loved the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity, 
and bore his image and superscription, she gave 
the right hand of fellowship, saying 3 "Behold my 
mother and my brethren! whosoever doeth the 
will of my Father which is in heaven, the same 
is my brother, and sister, and mother.'* Matt. xii. 
49, 50. 

The following letter, among many others writ- 
ten to her cousins in Mr. Wesley's society, will 
give us a little specimen of her catholic spirit. 

"Dear Sisters of my soul, 

"I am ashamed of all I do, or think, or say; 
it seems such a boasting! but it is in my God, and 
I never can speak a thousandth part of his good- 
ness. My situation appears to me just like the 
lepers, that were in the possession of such good 
things, that they did not well to hold their peace* 

"I am much strengthened in my soul and re- 
freshed by visiting you* I can understand, and 



232 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

do love all his dear precious ones; they are his 
joy and delight, and so they are mine. He rejoic- 
eth over them as with singing; and he gives me, 
blessed be his dear name, a measure of that same 
spirit, that was poured out upon him, without 
measure. 

"In all their afflictions, He is afflicted: and in 
my little, very little sphere, I mourn with them 
that mourn in spirit, and weep with them that 
weep. 

"Prejudices, evil-surmising, pride, bigotry, 
sparing themselves, loving the world, &c. &c. 
amongst the dear followers of the Lamb; who 
should be gentle towards all men, and love their 
brethren; because the blessed Lord takes all as 
done to himself, give me much pain. 

"And surely, my dear sisters 3 it cannot be 
pleasing to Him who is love; to slight, lightly 
esteem, or in the least to withdraw from a brother 
or sister, but for disorderly walking: and they 
are not brethren, if they are not in the faith of 
Christ. 

"What my blessed and adorable God will do 
with me, by me, or for me, I know not; nor de- 
sire any thing, but that his will may be done. But 
it is this moment the determination of my soul, to 
know nothing save Jesus Christ: and the desire 
of my heart is, for more of his loving spirit: that 
I may abide in him, and he in me continually: and 
then, and not till then, shall I be 'satisfied, when 
I awake up after his likeness!' I have strong de- 
sires to know and love my God more, and serve 
him better; for hitherto, all is nothing. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 233 

"Give my kindest love to Mr. Wesley, and 
beg him to pray and praise for me; for he is mine 
in Christ, and I am his servant for Christ's sake. 
Though placed in another part of the vineyard, 
we are now walking by the same rule, and mind- 
ing the same thing. 

"If that dear man of God find freedom of spirit 
towards me to write me a letter, I believe it would 
be very acceptable to God, and profitable tome; 
and though it be but a simple means, it may pull 
down a strong hold of Satan. 

"I want the wondering world to say,, 'See how 
these Christians love! 5 in deed and in truth, and 
not in word only. 

" I know more than two or three, are agreed 
touching this; and the Lord will grant it us, on 
earth now, or in heaven soon. 

"The same blessings I want for myself; it is 
the desire of my soul that they may be poured 
out on every member of Christ; of every persua- 
sion, kindred, . tongue and people. And I know 
you all pray for me, who am the weakest, abun- 
dantly the weakest of all. And I believe your 
prayers are heard and answered; for which mer- 
cy I am deeply abused. 

"I am your ever affectionate sister, 

"J. Turner. 55 

In the latter end of the year, one thousand 
seven hundred and eighty, the Lord saw it neces- 
sary for the further purification of her soul, to 
put this grace of universal love to the severest 
test; as he generally does suffer those graces of 
his people, for which they are most eminent, to 
be most severely exercised. 



234 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

It was a painful strait, indeed, into which she 
was brought! but Looking unto the Lord for 
strength, she was enabled to follow what his 
Spirit, Word, and Providence demanded from 
her; though it cost her abundance of tears! Many- 
wakeful anxious nights, and frequent faintings, 
were the consequents of the struggle, between 
duty to God, and love to those she held most 
dear: besides the necessity of humbling herself at 
the feet of those who had unjustly accused her; 
and taking upon herself faults, of which she was 
not guilty before God. 

What her feelings were, may be partly gather- 
ed from the following extract from a letter to a 
Calvinist sister. Miss E. B n. 

"Pray for me, my dear sister, that no root of 
bitterness may at any time rise in my heart: If my 
love constantly flowed, as it often does, through 
the riches of grace, I would not change my state 
with angels! The love of God shed abroad in 
our hearts by the Holy Ghost, and causing us to 
love all that he loves, and to hate all that he hates, 
changes earth into heaven, makes this wilderness 
a paradise regained! For having Jesus, we pos- 
sess all things. 

"My dear sister, however hard it is to be un- 
derstood, I am assured from the word of God, 
and from my own experience, that the unloving 
spirit and behaviour of the different denomina- 
tions of Christians to each other, their evil-sur- 
misings, their envy, their prejudice, party zeal, 
and bigotry, are certainly a grieving and quench- 
ing of the Holy Spirit! I mean, Calvinists 
against Arminians, and Arminians against Calvin- 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 2S5 

ists; when it is certain, God is no respecter of 
persons, I mean parties: but those that worship 
the Father, through the Son, and by the Holy 
Ghost, in every place, are accepted of him. 

"Oh, that our beloved brethren were all wise, 
that they understood this: that Ephraim would 
rio more grieve „Judah; nor Judah vex Ephraim; 
that the peace ofriations, might be sanctified to 
the peace of the church, one true, pure, holy 
and undefiled religion! Then, she will be terri- 
ble as an army with banners, fellow-heirs, to car- 
ry on the war with every ^daring foe, every dar- 
ling lust! Then, my dear sister, we might rove 
over all the holy hill of Zion, without suspicion, 
from any quarter, of defection, in our hearts or 
heads; cherishing, encouraging, assisting, and 
most lovingly reproving, as need requires, and 
as the Spirit,' Word, and Providence of our 
adorable head -and King direct! without unkind 
judging and censuring, the unloving arraignment 
and condemnation of brethren, with whom, in 
judgment, we see eye to eye, in regard to divine 
truths, but cannot, without the greatest sufferings 
of spirit, submit to that narrowness and contract- 
edness, that human prudence, if not diabolical 
power, which I much suspect is at the bottom! 
For it is not, it is not, my beloved sister, c the 
wisdom that is from above; which is pure, peace- 
able, gentle, easy to be entreated, without par- 
tiality and w ithout hypocrisy^ 5 

"My gracious God has given me great power 
against those evil spirits that would lodge in my 
own heart, and infect almost all 1 come near: 
They are diabolical, and call themselves by false 



236 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

names! Disturb their false peace, my dear sister, 
wherever you discover them: in the name and 
strength of Jesus, you shall overcome; and by 
the love of the Spirit you shall be impowered. 

"A marvellous degree of light and love is 
vouchsafed to me, the weakest, vilest, unwor- 
thiest of all, since I have been willing, in the day 
of my Lord's power, yea enabled, to rejoice in 
'his sending by whom he will send: rejoicing 
with those that rejoice, weeping with those that 
weep, loving his image wherever I see it; cher- 
ishing those that do or suffer his will, as my 
mother, sisters, brethren; knowing no man after 
the flesh, doing in the name of a disciple, not of 
a party, and my happiness is inexpressible: This 
sweet, communion of saints, is so soul-strengthen- 
ing as well as comforting, that I cannot but wish 
others to partake of it. 

"But this blessing, instead of talking much 
about it, desirable as it is, we must pray our 
heavenly Father to bestow, largely and univer- 
sally, on all the churches! I hope the time is 
coming when it shall be poured out on all, at 
least we cannot offend any by praying for it. 

"My beloved sister, if your heart be right 
with my heart, unite with me at the throne of 
grace on a Tuesday evening, as often as you can, 
from eight to nine o'clock! Acquaint our dear 
sisters Johnson with it; for, I do believe, it is the 
best way, 'to pray for the Holy Spirit's being 
poured out;' better, much better, than wearing 
ourselves out in persuading the people, whose 
hearts are not prepared! I am much united to you 
dear nephew: my love to his parents, accept my 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 237 

whole family's love, and believe me, ever 
44 Your affectionate friend, 

"J. Turner. " 

July 12, 1781, she writes thus to her beloved 
cousin Miss J n: — 

"All is well: My blessed God is proving me, 
trying me before men, that his own grace may 
appear, his power be magnified, his great name 
glorified; my soul profited, enlarged, more swal- 
lowed up in him, weaned from created, carnal 
things, lose my partialities, littleness, and unless 
I had believed I had fainted. 

"The delightful lesson I am learning now, is, 
'The all-sufficiency of God;' All my springs are 
in him: Every thing is what he is pleased to 
make it, all blessings flow from him: and, 'is 
there evil in the city and the Lord hath not done 
it.' 

"Oh! how dear all his servants are tome — his 
are mine ! Many waters cannot quench love, nor 
can the floods drown it. 

"Oh, my dear sister, I am determined to know 
nothing, save Jesus Christ and him crucified: and 
my soul is abundantly satisfied at this well-spring 
of delight: I have sat down and counted the cost; 
and whatever I feel, whatever I lose, I shall be 
an immense gainer : And indeed, how can I re- 
ject such rich enjoyments, such real happiness, 
so frequently offered, so freely given. 

"Did my dear husband tell you Mr. W n, 

preached at our tabernacle, Lord's-day week? I 
get my own will by standing still; and things that 
I desire are most wonderfully accomplished, 'by 



2SS LIFE AND DEATH OF 

# 

my doing nothing.' 'He that believeth, maketh 
not haste:' and we must never 'do evil that good 
may come.' 

"I hope, I shall be more zealous than ever: the 
nearer I am to the centre, may the motion be the 
swifter! But instead of talking much to men, I 
wish to pray to my God and Saviour that my own 
spirit may be 'as a weaned child:' I speak freely 
to you of the state of my own soul at all times, 
and your letters constantly help me. Accept my 
kind love: I hope you will pray for 
"Your poor 
"Thomas, and Joanna Turner." 

Indeed, she was, the last half-year of her life, 
like a little child in the arms of a tender parent; 
looking on herself as less than the least of all 
saints; drinking into the humble loving spirit of 
her Saviour; as the following song of praise to 
God, and love to Christians of every denomina- 
tion, written a few months before her death, will 
testify: 

"My blest employ, while earth is my abode, 
Shall be to lisp thy praise, my glorious God! 
To trust thy wisdom, goodness, love, and pow'r, 
And live thy praise my each remaining hour, 
Believe in Jesus, and obey his word! 
Sweet to my heart is each divine record! 
My guilty soul, at no time can be blest, 
But in the glorious wedding garment drest! 
A sinner sav'd! a sinner sav'd, I cry! 
What is my Father's house, and what am I! 
Divinely drawn, I feel the heavenly birth! 
My soul's creating new, while here on earth! 
Celestial love shed iu my heart abroad, 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 239 

Unites to all, united to my God! 
Subjects of mercy, miracles of grace; 
In you my Saviour's image I can trace! 
Give me your hand, receive my kiss of love; 
We'll help each other to the realms above! 
No matter what's your party, name or sect, 
If to my Saviour you shew due respect, 
And the vain customs of the world reject !" 

But such as did not shew due respect to her 
Saviour, not allow him to be God, equal to the 
Father, and took pains to teach men so; and 
would not hear the regenerating and sanctifying 
influences of the Holy Spirit, she could not find 
union of spirit with: but would pity, pray for, 
and endeavour to win them to Christ, by the 
most loving, persuasive arguments and behaviour 
possible: And never could she be brought to 
think the way to win souls to Christ, was, by 
strife and doubtful disputations; making a man an^ 
offender for a word: much less could she allow* 
herself to make a jest of doctrines, others held 
most sacred; but always treated what she thought 
sinful, with the most grave and solemn rebuke. 
What was not sinful, not expressly, nor by plain 
consequence, condemned of her divine master, 
she did not pretend to condemn as sinful: allow- 
ing every one the same liberty of conscience, 
she enjoyed herself, saying, "Let every one be 
persuaded in his own mind," and walk according 
to the light received of the Lord; who giveth to 
every one, severally, as they have need, for the 
use of their own souls, and the place he designs 
they shall fill, in the church, and in the world, 



240 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

Thus lived, thus walked, thus died in the 
faith of God's elect, Mrs. Joanna Turner! There 
was a sweet expression remaining on her face, of 
that perfect peace, patience, and love, with 
which her spirit was filled during her ilness, 
when that spirit was returned to God who gave 
it, and nothing remained but a lump of lifeless 
clay! that clay, was amiable even in death: and 
having been the temple of the Holy Ghost, was 
highly reverenced and repeatedly visited, with a 
melancholy pleasure by her inconsolable husband, 
and a large number of weeping friends, from the 
various denominations of spiritual people round 
the town. 

Even those of her neighbours that had not been 
favoured with her light, and enjoyment of things 
eternal, could not help giving a testimony to her 
moral character, by saying, 5 'She had not left her 
equal in the town, for public and private useful- 
ness, in her family, trade, and connexions." 

Her husband, on whose heart this God-like 
character of hers was deeply engraved, spared 
no expense, to testify the deep sense he had of 
her worth: inviting all the ministers who had gone 
up to the help of the Lord at Tisbury, more than 
thirty of whom gladly paid this tribute of respect 
to her memory, by attending her funeral ! But no 
part of this expense was half so honourable to 
the dead, as the multitude of genuine tears that 
flowed from almost every eye! Hundreds of 
persons, with aching hearts, attending her obse- 
quies, and lining the streets as they conveyed her 
to the grave, shewed their respect, by the most 
decent behavior, and the most expressive solemn, 
mournful silence. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 241 

And when the voice of the singers broke 
through the evening air, and penetrated the 
gloomy silence that reigned among the weeping 
female friends and relatives, that were admitted 
by a private way into the tabernacle; it is im- 
possible to describe the feelings of every heart! 
One general gust of grief burst forth, and chan- 
ged the awful silence, into sobs and groans of 
deepest woe. 

The feelings of Mr. Turner's heart on attend- 
ing this melancholy solemnity, can better be con- 
ceived by every mind endued with sensibility, 
than described by my pen! Great was his loss: 
being deprived by her death, not only of a most 
amiable, useful wife, in a temporal, but of the most 
agreeable companion, friend and adviser, in a 
spiritual relation. 

May all that knew or ever heard of her, take 
the advice of her beloved pastor, who preached 
her funeral sermon: 'imitating her example of 
deep self abasement before God and man; saying, 
from a feeling sense of inability to every good 
word and work, C I am nothing;' yet, in the 
strength of the Lord, be pressing forward, with 
united efforts, to supply her lack of service; as 
when a drop of water is suddenly taken from the 
ocean, all the circumjacent particles rush in to 
supply the deficiency, and restore the level sur- 
face:' which may God grant in his infinite mercy! 
Amen. 



And now, my dear, fellow-immortals, of every 
character, who have perused these pages, permit 
rae to address you as by a voice from the dead. 
11 



242 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

You, that till now have been flying in the face 
6f Omnipotence; you, that are sending forth your 
arrows, even bitter words, oaths and curses 
against the thick bosses of his buckler; or if in 
genteeler life, dare his vengeance only by your 
actions, so contrary to his will, which say con- 
tinually, 'Who is the Lord that we should serve 
him? we desire not the knowledge of his waysP 
Oh my dear fellow sinners! I beseech you to 
consider that the Lord is the God that made you 
for his glory: and if you do not repent, and lay 
hold on the atoning blood and righteousness of 
Christ, through which alone he can be just, and 
yet the justifies of such ungodly sinners as you 
are, remember: Oh remember it will be for his 
glory, you should be eternally miserable: 'The 
Lord our God, is a great God, a mighty and a 
terrible: He will reward the doer of evil, accord- 
ing to his wickedness: He will ease himself of 
his adversaries, and avenge himself of his ene- 
mies: O! how suddenly will they consume, per- 
ish, and come to a fearful end! Now consider 
this, ye that forget God, lest he tear you in pieces, 
and there be none to deliver." 

And you, my dear convicted friends, many of 
whom our departed sister has often striven to 
bring to Christ in vain, if it be yet in vain: O! let 
her, though now dead, speak to purpose: Only 
think, what her long resistance to the voice of 
God's Spirit cost her: Only think, what a hell 
she had in her soul! What intolerable pangs of 
conscience, that could force the tears from her 
eyes, almost continually, for two years together, 
and what terrors of mind must those be, during 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 



243 



all that time, which made her apprehend the 
earth would open, as she passed the streets in her 
gay attire, and let her quick into hell. 

Oh! if you would escape such torments of 
mind, which may end in insanity, death, temporal 
and eternal, pray earnestly, cry mightily and con- 
tinually to the Lord for mercy; that he may bless 
you with a saving faith in the Lord Jesus, and 
enable you to forsake sin, and plant his fear in 
your heart, that you may never more depart from 
him. " Wherefore do you spend money for that 
which is not bread, and your labour for that which 
satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto your gra- 
cious Saviour, and eat ye that which is good, and 
let your soul delight itself in fatness: Incline your 
ear, and come unto him: hear, and your soul shall 
live." 

And you, who do already feel the torments of 
a guilty conscience, and are brought, as she was, 
to the very brink of hell, under the terrifying 
apprehension that the fear of God is not before 
your eyes, and that you are lost and undone sin- 
ners, and are grieved and burthened with the 
weight of your sins, and weary of them, I pro- 
nounce you blessed mourners: for the Lord of 
heaven and earth hath said, "Come unto me, all 
ye that labour and are heavy laden, with the bur- 
then of sin, and I will give you rest. Blessed are 
they that mourn, for they shall be comforted. 15 

Do you really fear that you do not fear God? 
Your very fears prove that you do truly fear 
him! Do you look upon yourselves as lost and 
undone sinners in yourselves? Remember, you 
are just such characters as Christ came to save: 



244 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

He 'came, to seek and to save, those that are 
lost:' He came into the world, to save those sin- 
sick sinners, that see no righteousness in them- 
selves: 'He came not to call the righteous, but 
sinners, to repentance V You are the poor and 
needy, whom the Lord careth for: 5 — therefore 
cast all your care upon him; and if you have not 
power to do that, cast yourselves, burthen and 
all, upon him, for he hath promised to sustain 
you! He hath said to his prophet, c say to those 
that are of a fearful heart, be strong, fear not; 
for I the Lord will come with vengeance; I will 
come with a recompense; I will come and save 
you! I have taken vengeance for all your sins, o- 
riginal and actual, on my own Son: He hath drunk 
the bitter dregs of my wrath for you: and hence- 
forth, c there is no condemnation to them that are 
in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, 
but after the Spirit !' I will come and recom- 
pense his meritorious life and death, on your bles- 
sed heads, by bestowing on you all his purchased 
blessings, spiritual, temporal, and eternal! Only 
be strong in the faith, giving glory to God! Pray 
for it if you have it not; for he hath said, c Ask 
and ye shall receive; seek, and ye shall find: 
knock, and it shall be opened unto you.' c Your 
heavenly Father will give the Holy Spirit to them 
that ask him. Draw nigh to God, and he will 
draw nigh to you. 5 

And you my professing brethren and sisters, 
who have tasted that the Lord is gracious, and 
been frequently convicted of sin, yet halting be- 
twixt two opinions; dividing your hearts between 
God and the world, between the creature and the 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 245 

Creator, who are yet in the wilderness of sin, 
loving the flesh-pots of Egypt; self-willed, earth- 
ly mined, having a name to live, and yet are dead, 
O think, how many of the children of Israel pe- 
rished in the wilderness, on account of their idol- 
atry; seeking their own ways and wills, and not 
willing to fight the battles of the Lord; not 
enduring hardships as good soldiers of Jesus 
Christ; not willing to venture through the Ana- 
kims, the mighty opposers, into the promised 
land: and be exhorted to turn to the Lord with full 
purpose of heart, least he destroy you also in the 
wilderness! Reflect: if the subject of these me- 
moirs had followed her first convictions, how 
much distress and trouble of mind she had saved 
herself: and how much sooner she had entered 
into the liberty of the Gospel, the spiritual pro- 
mised land, the land of divine rest and peace, 
which flows indeed with milk and honey. 

And you, my Christian brethren and sisters, 
who have not only tasted that the Lord is gra- 
cious, who have long enjoyed the blessed com- 
forts of his soul-supporting doctrines, and heart- 
reviving promises; let her example, set forth in 
these pages, stir you up afresh, to follow her as 
she followed Christ; to be continually vigilant, 
and on your guard against the assults of your 
spiritual adversaries: And be ye always attentive 
to know what is the will of the Lord concerning 
you 1 Let your eyes be fixed constantly, on the 
eye of our divine master, for he hath said, I will 
guide thee with mine eyes and afterwards receive 
thee to glory. 5 — The eye of his Providence, 
Spirit, and Word must be our constant guide; 



246 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

and we must pray for faith and power to obey the 
smallest intimations of his will! The wheels of 
providence, according to Ezekiel, are full of 
eyes; and it is the Spirit of God that is the mover 
of these wheels! And in order to know whether 
the providence be specially arranged of God, 
we must have recourse to the law and to the testi- 
mony, which is our sure ivord of pophecy. And 
being well convinced what is his will concerning 
us, we must not draw back from following his 
leadings, because carnal reason may throw in her 
objections, or erring mortals may discourage us, 
who see not with our eyes: but having set our 
hand to the Gospel-plough, in whatever place, 
method, or manner the Lord hath appointed, we 
must proceed as she did, however arduous the 
task, and however disqualified we may appear 
to ourselves or others; remembering, that no man 
'goeth a warfare at his own charges: 5 He that 
commands will equip! Nay more; he will give 
strength equal to the day, grace sufficient for every 
duty: Whom the divine husbandman employs, he 
will furnish for every good word and work. 'His 
power shall ever rest upon us; his strength shall 
be made perfect in our weakness; he will supply 
all our needs, out of his glorious riches in Christ 
Jesus. 5 ' 

Let us; moreover, be careful, how we discour- 
age the hearts and weaken the hands of those, who 
believe themselves called to any extraordinary 
services; especially, when it is attended with tak- 
ing up the cross, and forsaking self for God: lest 
by so doing we not only spoil their usefulness, 
but cause the Lord's people to transgress, by 
drawing them back to the quenching or griev- 
ing of the Holy Spirit. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER, 247 

Remember, if Mrs. Turner had consulted with 
flesh and blood, or harkened to carnal reason, 
she would not have sunk sixty pounds of her 
small fartune, to build a place for the preaching 
of the Gospel, at her first setting out in the cause 
of God: nor, when the Lord had prospered the 
work of her hand so marvellously, by filling the 
house she had built with worshippers; would 
she have encouraged her husband to build that 
respectable place at Trowbridge called the tab- 
ernacle: which cost more than the whole of her 
fortune, and has occasioned so many hundreds to 
come under the word, which has proved such a 
savour of life unto life to their immortal souls. 

And, if she had harkened to many of God's dear 
people, who were not permitted, for a trial of 
her faith and obedience to the voice of God's 
Spirit, just then, to see with her eyes; she would 
have been withheld from a work, as much owned 
and blessed of God as many of her former; name- 
ly, introducing the Gospel to Tisbury: where, all 
that have ears to hear, eyes to see, and hearts to 
understand, must now acknowledge she was call- 
ed and employed of the Lord in a wonderful 
manner, to the raising up a church in that place; 
against which the gates of hell cannot prevail. 

There is such a thing, my friends, as being 
careless daughters, women that are at ease in 
Zion, faint-heated in the cause of God, to which 
a woe is denounced! a going two ways; a stand- 
ing still, or going backwards in the narrow road 
that leadeth to life; an so, speedily getting into the 
broad way that leadeth to destruction: There is 
such a thing, as a turning our backs on our spirit- 



243 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

ual enemies; and so, suffering them to gain an 
advantage over us, and retard our course to the 
spiritual Cannaan! Let us therefore fear, least a 
promise being left us of entering into his rest, any 
of us should come short of it. 

Let us not hearken to those who are faint-heart- 
ed, and say, we are not able to go up against the 
enemies of the Lord, for they are stronger than 
we: but let us pray for Caleb's spirit, and for the 
spirit of those who followed the Lord fully, who 
entered into his views, from a singleness of eye 
to his glory, and said, l Up, let us fight the bat- 
tles of the Lord! 5 Let us my friends, go up at 
once and possess the land, for our spiritual Joshua 
will bring us in! We are able, he says, in his 
strength; let us look to him for strength! Let us 
'lift up our eyes unto the hills from-whence coni- 
eth our help: 5 so shall our 'bow abide instrength, 
and the arms of our hands, at all times, be made 
strong, by the hands of the mighty God of Jacob!' 
Let us come out of the wilderness, leaning on 
our beloved, as our departed sister did; for she 
constantly trusted in the Lord, therefore was 
she never confounded, though men and devils 
rose up in battle array against her! She w r as not 
afraid of the great giants, the Amalekites, the 
natives of the place! She had tasted of the plea- 
sant fruits; and in the strength of the Lord, she 
determimed to oppose them all and take posses- 
sion: and she was brought off "more than con- 
queror, through him that loved her and gave hinir 
self for her." 

She did not enter and possess the land in this 
life: and is now, doubtless, in possession of that 
fulness of bliss, that complete, everlasting "rest 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 249 

which remaineth for all the faithful people of 
God." 



The following pertinent and excellent remarks 
of a worthy dissenting minister, to whose help- 
ing hand I am indebted for many judicious re- 
flections; the public, I doubt not, will think wor- 
thy of being subjoined. 

Let it, first, be remarked, that in what is writ- 
ten, the memorialist doth not design to exalt the 
subject of these memoirs above the rank of hu- 
man beings, as though by her power or holiness 
she were what she is described; so far from it, 
that she knew assuredly, that she had nothing of 
good, by nature, more than another person; which 
Mrs. Turner herself was not wanting to acknow- 
ledge, in all her correspondence and conversation, 
to the last day of her life, as the preceding pages 
testify. 

Inherent sin, hath put us all upon a level : so 
that, though one may be more notorious than 
another, no man has any thing of merit to boast 
of before God. Our object is, to display the 
riches of the grace of Christ: to shew, by an ex- 
ample within our knowledge, to what a pitch 
grace can rise; and to stir up the professors of 
the Gospel, to be followers of her, even as she 
was of Christ Jesus. 

Secondly, we wish not by what we have writ- 
ten, to discourage any who may appear to come 
short of her standard. I say, appear; because all 
are not in reality inferior to her in their attain- 



250 LIFE AND DEATH OP 

ments, who are so in appearance. Stars, invisi- 
ble in the element, may be equally bright with 
those which are visible to our eye, but their situ- 
ation does not admit of their being observed. But 
let not this remark encourage the slothful pro- 
fessoi\ 

Thirdly, however advantageous a situation be- 
lievers may be placed in, or whatever abilities 
they may have for it, it will not make them proud 
or vain! You can no more deprive the sun of 
his glory, than you can induce him to take that 
glory to himself! And equally impossible it is 
for the real Christian to withdraw his shining or 
to> arrogate to himself the glory of his own 
light. 

The justice of this remark leads to the mention 
of an occurrence, not taken particular notice of 
in the memoirs, which is, that Mrs. Turner, drop- 
ping into the prevailing custom of the dissenters, 
in choosing a text for a funeral subject, and know- 
ing the high esteem her friends held her in, many 
years ago, as Mr. Clark observes, in her funeral 
sermon, selected 2 Cor. 12th chapter, and part of 
verse the 1 1th, to be improved at the time of her 
interment. She particularly reminded him of his 
obligation to use it, the evening before her death, 
as is mentioned in the memoirs!' And does it 
not carry an evidence of the humble view she 
had of herself through all that time? If she had 
been an angel, instead of a human being, she 
would still have said at the conclusion of every 
successful undertaking, give God the glory, I am 
nothing." 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 251 

Fourthly, The justness of the real Christian's 
sentiment of his inability, and his disposition to 
disclaim the glory of his own performances, do 
not slacken his exertions for the glory of God! 
He is like a child who feels himself deeply con- 
cerned in the advancement of his father's interest, 
and endeavours to exert himself for the promo- 
tion of it! If zeal be enervated, and we aim 
more at our own comfort and convenience than 
his glory, it is a proof that our hearts are not 
right, and that we are not steadfast in his cove- 
nant! It best becomes the Christian to say, 
'Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?' and to 
make the end of one good work, the beginning of 
another. 

Fifthly, Our blessed Redeemer will acknow- 
ledge the willing mind, which is disposed for his 
service; and in the faithful discharge of it, will 
increase our ability, and cause our usefulness to 
grow with our years! If we are faithful in that 
which is least, he will bless and increase us more 
and more. 

The preceding remarks are made to prevent 
gracious souls under disadvantageous circumstan- 
ces, and dejection of spirit, from yielding to dis- 
couragement, because they cannot produce an 
experience equivalent with Mrs. Turner's! But 
they are not intended to be a salvo for the luke- 
warmness and prevailing indifference of our mo- 
dern professors of religion, who deviate as much 
from the spirit of the Gospel, as they should from 
the spirit of the world; and live as much under 
the dominion of a carnal spirit, as they should 
under the governance of the Spirit of Christ. 



232 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

It ig no unusual case for people to admire what 
they will not imitate; and to applaud the diligence 
of others, while they themselves stand all the day 
idle! It is to be feared, Mrs. Turner's shrine will 
have more admirers than Mrs. Turner's self will 
have imitators. 

Beware, dear reader that it be not thy case? 
There is no reason that it should! Be suitably 
impressed with a sense of the love of Christ, thy 
obligations to him, and the sufficiency of his grace 
for thee; and thy soul will no longer cleave unto 
the dust, but thy affections will be set upon things 
above. When the apostle recommends a simili- 
tude of mind to Christ, he exemplifies his humili- 
ty, on purpose to shew,, wherein the correspon- 
dence between Christ and the Christian should 
consist! We assent to the propriety of the par- 
allel, but object against being examples of it? 
Hence there are so few who dare to be singularly 
good, who are bold to be patterns of a life de- 
voted to God; or, if not in providence set in the 
sphere of a public example, ready to conform to 
those who, being so stationed, eminently fill up 
and adorn it. 

How many Christians are there in affluence, 
who, in proportion to their circumstances, do less 
for the glory of God, than their fellow Christi- 
ans in humble life I Why? Because their demands 
multiply as their property increases ! They can- 
not possess abundance, without living up to a 
pitch of grandeur answerable to it! A decent 
appearance above the common rank will not sa- 
tisfy them ! They must make a splendid figure;, 
thev cannot retrench,, either from their buildings* 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 253 

their dress, or their table! The great object, self, 
is ever to be regarded; and consequently, the 
glory of God and the claims of Christ Jesus, are 
ever neglected. 

Nor is it less to be lamented, that persons of 
middling rank in life are like minded: They have 
got into a kind of hypocricy, far from religious, 
whereby they appear superior to what they are 
in reality; and by the outward appearance, are 
beguiled into the inward delusion, of thinking 
more highly of themselves than they ought to 
think! They plead hard for exemption from re- 
buke for being conformed to this world : and have 
persuaded themselves that their gay clothing is 
compatible with a c transformation of the renew- 
ing of their mind! r If it were practicable to at- 
tain to the wearing of gold, as to the plaiting 
of the hair, they would blow upon the apostle 
Peter's advice; and sooner suffer a member of 
Christ to perish, than part with a gold pin! 4 As 
good be out of the world, as out of the fashion, 5 
is a sentiment almost universally apopted by the 
professors of Christianity: And to comply with 
the extravagance of the fashion, they unfit them- 
selves for those works and that labour of love, 
which God and their fellow creatures require at 
their hands. 

How very inconsistent is this with the spirit 
of Christ, and the example set us by those who 
have drunk deep into that spirit: So far as it pre- 
vails, it must be prejudicial to theprogress of re- 
ligion in the heart, to those advances in holiness 
which are necessary to bring us unto any degree 
of conformity to the Lord Jesus, and to make us 
the light of the workL 



254 life; and death of 

Had Mrs. Turner contented herself with the 
knowledge of salvation, without regarding the 
glory of God, in all the instances wherein it may 
and should be promoted, she would have been 
lost to observation among the multitude, who are 
willing to partake of the marriage-supper of the 
Lamb; but are unconcerned about the wedding- 
garment; who by renouncing their obligations to 
holiness, evidence that they have no interest in 
the righteousness of Christ, nor inheritance in the 
kingdom of God. 

Partiality to doctrines, however true, will not 
avail; if we deface the badge of our profession, 
and set aside the characteristics^ genuine Chris- 
tianity! There are different degrees of Christi- 
anity, it is true; and, we suppose, the smallest 
makes us capable of salvation: but who would 
be so sordid, as to be content merely to be saved? 
Who would not be emulous for the glory of God! 
Who would wish to have great things done for 
them, and not be desirous to do great things 
for him? 

If you are what you ought to be, you w 7 ill be 
dead to the world, and living unto and for God: 
You will imitate those most, who copy closest 
after Jesus Christ! and by aspiring after greater 
degrees of holiness than you have hitherto attain- 
ed; grow up into him in all things, who is the 
head, even Christ." 

In this connexion, I think, "A word in season" 
written August 25, 1782; and addressed to all 
ranks, characters, and denominations of men, by 
the subject of these memoirs, will very properly 
be introduced, to close the whole with almost pa- 
thetic exhortation from her own pen. 



MRS. JOANNA TURNER. 255 

"Beloved brethren, of every denomination, who 
profess to believe in a crucified Saviour for sal- 
vation; I beseech you all to be real followers of 
him! Separate yourselves from the foolish ex- 
penses, sinful manners, customs, and fashions of 
the world; and be conformed to your divine ex- 
ample and to those that resembled him: Love as 
brethren; strive not one with another; but all 
unite against the common foes, the world, the flesh 
and the devil! Only by pride cometh contention, 
and an humble, must be a peaceable spirit. 

Be zealous for the spread of the glorious Gos- 
pel, and for the conversion of souls to Christ, in 
what manner and by what instrument or means, 
the divine Head of the church, by his Spirit, 
Word, and Providence, appoints! Watch and 
pray, in this respect, that you enter not into 
temptation! May a Godly wholesome discipline 
be introduced into every church. 

"Ye dear pastors! be faithful to the high trust 
committed to you, the care of souls: and for 
which you must give an account to him, to whom 
every thing is naked and open! Fear not the 
faces of men! May the spirit of holy boldness, 
humility, and love, be richly poured upon you; 
and may your people, as they have all professed, 
submit themselves to you, to watch over them in 
the Lord, their practice as well as principles! 
Then, what blessed appearances of the Lord Je- 
hovah, on our side, might we expect, in regard to 
our afflicted state, respecting the weather as well 
as the war. But sabbaths, and fasts, and outward 
expressions of worship, of every kind, are an abo- 
mination to him that searcheth the hearts and trieth 
the reins, if not performed in spirit and in truth* 



256 LIFE AND DEATH OF 

"Ye formal professors: I beseech you, for the 
Lord Jesus Christ's sake, whose blessed cause 
is hurt and wounded so much by your unscriptural 
behaviour, for your own soul's sake I beseech 
you, that your condemnation may not be of the 
heaviest kind, drop your profession: it can do 
you no good: and your character will be more 
consistent, more honest, and consequently more 
respectable, before men! Nor will your happi- 
ness be less: for neither the form, nor yet the 
knowledge of religion, of themselves, can produce 
the least degree of real happiness: and fancied en- 
joyments will have an end: they are but as a 
dream. 

"True religion is all divine, in its original, its 
actings and its end! It comes from God: it is like 
him and in hearty obedience and humble adoration 
ascends to him again: Nothing but truth can be 
approved of by him; How vain then, is every 
merely specious appearance before fellow worms e 

"The Almighty God is greatly dishonoured at 
this time in this favoured nation. Oulr laws are 
most excellent, made to discountenance sin; drunk- 
enness, swearing, and sabbath-breaking in parti- 
cular, but who is there ever puts them in execu- 
tion. When those who have the real fear of God, 
and love to men, would wish to exert themselves, 
from the best motives, magistrates will not attend 
to them. 

"Oh that there were but a proper exertion to 
discountenance sins of every kind. We should 
then be the happiest, the most glorious nation 
upon earth. No country is so favoured with 
divine light, but how is it rejected by some, and 
abused by others. 



MRS. JOANNA TCRNER. 257 

"Oh! that magistrates, both the great and the 
inferior ones, would be impartial in thfc defence 
and execution of the laws: Persons shall be ban- 
ished their native country, yea, deprived of their 
lives, if they steal but once: but no notice is taken 
of sabbath-breaking, taking the Lord's name in 
vain, or profane cursing and swearing, through 
their whole lives, though equally forbidden both 
by the divine and national law: What an account, 
will magistrates, as well as ministers, have to 
give at the day of judgment. 

"My heart is enlarged, and filled with love to 
my king and country, and to all ranks and degrees 
of men. I wish the reformation and the salva- 
tion of all. The greatest as well as the least are 
the creature of God, aiad owe subjection to him! 
All should fear, all should reverence and obey 
him, who, 

Not circumscrib'd by time or space, 

Sees every heart, fills every place; 

And makes all nature bow before his face! 

"Of him, and through him, and to him, are all 
things: To him be glory for ever, Amen!" Ro- 
mans, xi. 36. 



FINIS. 



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